Through the Eyes of Spade
by JohtoBlue
Summary: When you're the younger brother of the leader of an evil crime organization, it's kind of hard to become an official trainer. Spade does what he has to do get a hold of a Pokemon, which makes him a criminal! Not only that, but he still has the goal of taking on the gym leaders and taking part in the Silver Conference! Join Spade while he fights through Johto.
1. The Goal

It is a dark, rainy night and everything is quiet. It is also the night that will change the fate of a certain young boy forever.

"Brother wait up!" a red headed boy wearing a purple turtleneck with red lining screamed while chasing after a tall, fairly muscular man. "I don't want you to go!"

The man turned around and glared at the child, "I can't allow you to get in my way anymore, Spade." He paused and sighed. "I'm doing what is best for Team Rocket."

Spade glared, and tears began to stream from his eyes. "I'm your younger brother, though; this is wrong!"

The man turned around and began to walk off.

Spade closed his eyes and screamed at the top of his lungs. "Get back here, now!"

The man continued to walk, not even acknowledging Spade.

Spade eventually had enough and ran to catch up with his brother. He ran ahead of him and stopped before him. "I vow to you Giovanni that I will destroy Team Rocket," he paused as he noticed Giovanni stopping in his tracks. "I'll do it if it is the last thing that I ever do!"

"Whatever, you can dream whatever you may child, but we are too strong for you ; even if we are currently disbanded, Team Rocket is a group and you are one, mere child. What do you think you can do against us, huh? Whine?" Giovanni mocked.

Spade glared at him and then ran past him into a dark forest as rain poured down hard smacking against his face. He felt each drop pound against his skin as tears flowed from his eyes. The rain drops felt like rocks and he could barely take anymore.

He stopped near a town that he has never seen before. Not knowing where he was he walked toward a sign that said the towns name. "Newbark Town" the sign read with very faded writing.

Spade looked north and saw a light coming from a building. He walked towards the building and noticed a scrawny professor pulling Poké Balls from a bag and putting them into a glass container. Spade stared at the glass container and frowned.

"The first step to becoming stronger is to get my own Pokémon. That professor should have at least one valuable Pokémon," he glared at the professor, "I have to get one!"

The professor sighed. "Not my usual set of Pokémon, but they will have to do for this class. Two lucky trainers are going to get either a Totodile or Chikorita. How odd not being able to find a Cyndaquil. At least I get to do some research on Chimchar, sadly I don't feel that it is in my place to give away just yet." The professor then put a lock on the case, then walked up a flight of stairs into a room and disappeared.

Spade glared through the window, "I guess that I'll get some sleep if I want to start my training. Getting one of those Pokémon can wait." Spade then took a seat down under the window seal and watched the night sky. Rain was now lightly falling from the sky. Spade closed his eyes and one last tear fell from his right eye. "That is my last tear that I shall ever shed; that is a promise to you… Giovanni."

Spade awoke whenever a loud squeal could be heard from the inside of the lab."Thank you Professor Elm! I love him already!" A girl's voice screamed.

Spade sat under the windowsill and waited for the voices to stop. Once it was quiet, he stood up and looked through the window. Both Poké Balls that he saw the night previous were gone, but something else caught his eye. Farther back than the Poké Ball case was a case with a few books, but what stood out was a shiny red and white Poké Ball. "There is no telling what, or if there is a Pokémon in there but I must try. I must have it…" Spade told himself under his breath.

"So, I can't wait to get to Cherrygrove!" The same voice from earlier rang from afar. Spade looked over and saw the same girl from before grabbing at what looked like a Poké Ball necklace.

Once the girl and her traveling companion, a boy that was with her were completely out of his sight he looked around for something that he could use to break the window. In no time he found a small but heavy rock and decided that it would be the tool for his window breaking.

"Here goes nothing," he groaned while he threw the rock through the window, the glass shattered causing a huge crash. Spade grabbed at the edge of the window and leapt through it. He cut his left palm but had to ignored the pain and dashed for the Poké Ball. Once he reached the bookcase he took a look at the ball and grabbed it. Before he dashed off to outside, he noticed a book on the shelf titled 'Secrets of Pokémon Evolution'. With no hesitation, he quickly grabbed it and then ran for the door.

"Who is that?" A voice called from behind.

Spade kicked the door open and dashed for where the girl and boy from before were. Noticing them, he decided that it'd be best if he avoided any form of confrontation so he dashed into a few trees but continued to run on the route that they were on. After awhile of running he stopped and bent over, gasping for breath. He looked at his Poké Ball and grinned.

"Time to find out what kind of Pokémon I got. I can only hope that there is something in here," he said to himself.

"Go, Poké Ball!" He cried out while throwing it into the air.

The Poké Ball blasted open and a small red chimp appeared.

"Chimchar," it cried happily.

Spade smiled, but it faded quickly once he caught that he was smiling.

"So, Chimchar, you're my Pokémon," he told the Pokémon. "I guess that I stole the test subject; maybe I was doing you a favor."

"Chimchar!" it cried out happily. Spade glared.

"I need to train you soon so we can get to beating my brother," he paused, "Giovanni…"

Chimchar stared at Spade and then at Spade's left hand which had blood trickling from it.

"Chimchar…" it cooed quietly. Spade looked down at his hand then at Chimchar.

"Ignore that. I can fix it." He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of gloves. "I came prepared for anything, although it may have been a good idea to put on my gloves first. They can't be smart enough to do fingerprints though." Suddenly, Spade spotted a flock of Pidgey up ahead, "Use an Ember on those Pidgey now."

Chimchar looked at them and then at Spade. Chimchar scratched the back of its head as though it didn't know why it was being told to attack.

"Now!" Spade ordered.

Chimchar nodded then jumped into the air and let out bullets of flames towards the Pidgey. The attack hit directly and some flew away startled. Others charged towards Spade and Chimchar. Once they got close enough they began to peck at Spade's head.

"Ah!" Spade yelled in distress. He began to move his hands furiously through the birds, trying to get them to all fly away.

"Chimchar!" his Pokémon cried out while jumping into the air and Fury Swiping all of the Pidgey away.

The Pidgey all ran away scared, some very injured.

Spade looked down at Chimchar in shock. "Not bad, but we have to continue training, agreed?"

Chimchar nodded, seeming to get used to his trainer. Spade looked behind Chimchar and noticed a Rattata. A smile came across Spade's face and Chimchar nodded.

"Destroy it with Flamethrower!"

Chimchar spun around and shot flames out of his mouth towards the Rattata. Before the Rattata could even see what was going on, the flames connected and engulfed the rat Pokémon.

Once the flames died out, the Rattata lay silent on the ground. Spade walked forward and past Chimchar.

"C'mon let's go, we have to keep moving if we want to get ahead on our training."

He walked outside of the trees and saw another Pidgey. Chimchar smiled and Spade pointed at the Pidgey.

"Chimchar Scratch it" he yelled. "Burn it with Ember!" Spade commanded as Chimchar was laying into the Pidgey. Spade smiled and opened his mouth to make another commanded but was interrupted.

"Hey you, why are you being so mean to that Pidgey?" a voice called from behind. Spade turned around and locked eyes with the boy from earlier.

"What's it to you?" He asked rudely, if he was going to be interrupted then no mercy was to be shown.

"Enough for me to ask! Chikorita, get ready," he told his Pokémon. Chikorita leapt in front of the boy, ready for battle.

"So, a battle is it? Chimchar, go!" he commanded. _Doesn't this kid know that his grass-type doesn't stand a chance against my fire-type?_

"Chikorita, use Vine Whip," the boy commanded his Pokémon.

"Chika," the Pokémon cried out while vines raced towards Chimchar.

Spade grinned and gave his order, "Chimchar, dodge and use Flamethrower."

Chimchar jumped into the air avoiding the vines and then shot wicked flames from his mouth landing a direct hit on Chikorita.

"No! Chikorita!" the boy cried while rushing over to his hurt Pokémon. "Heather! You stand more of a chance with against him! He has a fire-type, and you have Totodile," he explained to the girl wearing a light blue dress and the Poké Ball necklace from before.

Heather grabbed her Poké Ball and threw it. "Go Totodile."

_Now this may be a challenge, unless this happens to be her first battle_. "You can easily beat that wimp, Chimchar! Use Flamethrower again!" Spade commanded.

"Hurry, Totodile! Use water gun!" Heather shouted to Totodile.

Heather's Pokémon shot a burst of water that completely took out Chimchar's flame. Totodile quickly shot another burst that landed directly and sent Chimchar falling back.

"Chimchar, get up! Use Flamethrower again, and don't miss" Spade demanded

Heather was ready, "Use Water Gun again, Totodile! Then bite him while he's down!"

Totodile shot out another blast of water at Chimchar and before Spade could answer back Totodile latched onto Chimchar's head.

"Get out of his mouth, Chimchar!" Spade yelled in distress.

Chimchar began to struggle, but it was no use. Chimchar had no choice but to give up.

"Return, Chimchar!" Spade told Chimchar while holding his Poké Ball. Spade turned around and began to run towards the forest but stopped and locked eyes with them again. "This won't be the last you'll see of me!" he told them.

He began running into the forest again before he stopping at a tree to rest.


	2. The Evolution

Spade sat under a, gasping for breath. "I can't believe I lost," he looked up into the sky.

Under the leaves of the trees, the sun shone through and a few clouds slowly drifted throughout the sky.

"It is beautiful," Spade stood up then looked around and down at his Poké Ball.

"C'mon out, Chimchar," he yelled while throwing the ball into the air. Chimchar was revealed from the ball, holding his head.

"Chimchar…" he said softly.

Spade walked up to his Pokémon and kneeled down. "You put up a great fight, but now we know that you can improve. You're not the best yet, but I'm going to mold you into the greatest battler they'll ever see! You're next trainer battle you're going to win!" he told his Pokémon.

Chimchar nodded weakly.

"Now return," Spade told his Chimchar as a red stream absorbed Chimchar back into the Poké Ball.

Spade put his Poké Ball onto his belt that was hidden from his baggy clothes and felt at the area. Something was missing.

"No, I dropped my Trainer Card! I must of dropped it during my battle with those two idiots!"

Spade shook off his anger and began to run again. He ran right into Cherrygrove City but decided not to stop for anything.

_There are no trainers in the city worth my time…_ he thought to himself. He looked back and noticed Heather and the boy from earlier, but kept running, not wanting to make anymore contact. Once he turned around to focus on his running, he ran into something.

"Hey watch where you're going, kid," a teenager yelled at Spade. The teenager had a striking resemblance to the boy with the Chikorita but looked a few years older. He wore a red pullover jacket that was opened near the bottom, revealing his abdomen and brown baggy pants that were ripped towards the bottom.

"You watch out, punk!" Spade yelled back.

A voice came from behind the teenager. "Fai, calm down, I don't think this boy is meaning to do any form of harm," he told the teenager.

"Dad he ran into me," Fai whined to a big, middle-aged man who walked up and offered Spade his hand.

Spade stared at the hand and didn't do anything but stay on the ground.

"Son, I'm offering to help you up," the man told him.

_It is weird being around someone who isn't going to smack you around for running into them, _he thought to himself then hesitantly grabbed the man's hand, and he was pulled up back onto his feet.

The man smiled a very welcoming smile. "You seem to be in a hurry young man, with legs like that you should be in the Pokélathon," he laughed and patted Spade's back.

Spade didn't say anything; he only glared at Fai.

Fai gave a fake smile. "I see fire in your eyes kid… I like that."

Spade's eyes opened wide but he caught himself and went back to a straight face. "I'm sorry but I have to be on my way," he told the two while beginning to walk off.

"Now wait one second," the man said while grabbing the collar of Spade's turtleneck.

Spade stopped and looked back at the man. "What is it, sir?"

The man let go of his collar and smiled. "I was wondering if you'd do something for me, it shouldn't be much of a bother. There shouldn't be anybody young boy in the whole world as busy as you seem to make yourself be."

Spade sighed and locked eyes with the man, "What is it that I can help you with?"

The man grabbed into his knapsack that he had strapped around his wide waist and pulled out a black box. "I was wondering if you would take this to Kurt, the Apricorn man in Azalea Town, for me. It isn't necessarily urgent, but I have no time to take this to him. I do hope that it isn't out of your way."

Spade reached out and grabbed the box and nodded.

"Yes, sir," Spade bowed with respect. "I will get this box to him." _It isn't very much and I've wanted to meet this 'Kurt' anyways._

"Thank you, now I must be off," the man said with a smile. "Take care, young one, and try not to get into any trouble."

Spade turned away and began to walk off holding the black box.

"No, you wait there; I'm not done with you yet," Fai said from behind him.

Spade turned and glared, "I have no time to get into a fight."

"I'm not wanting to fight. I'm sorry to stop you from what you're doing, but I have one question," Fai said.

Spade merely nodded to show that he was listening.

Fai grinned. "Are you a Pokémon Trainer by some chance? You give off the vibe from your eyes that you are."

"Yes, and one day I will be the best in the world," Spade replied firmly, he then tucked the box that the man gave him into his pocket.

Fai's grin faded. "Then take on the Johto Gyms, and one day I want to face you. I see the same flare in your eyes that I once had. I know if you use that fire inside you, then you can become unstoppable," he grinned once more and held out a shiny red badge. "This Flare Badge can be yours if you beat me one day. I wouldn't challenge me yet, though; I am considered one of the best Gym Leaders in the Johto region, even the world, if you stretch it a bit..."

Spade stared at him. "Fai… one day I will face you and take that badge from you."

Fai nodded then turned around and walked away. "I'll be waiting for that battle."

Spade sighed and then began to run off into a small, open valley.

"One day I will be the best and there is no one, not even Giovanni that will stop me," he kept repeating to himself. His drive and his motivation to do his best is the fact that he was abandon by his brother.

He kept running not knowing when to stop or when he would take a break but he found a reason.

"Team Rocket will soon be back and our first step is baby steps to the top," a girl's voice echoed through a few trees.

Spade instantly stopped and clenched his left fist, hurting himself from the cut, but he had to keep from making a major scene. There was only one action in mind for Spade right now, and that action was to _destroy_ Team Rocket with baby steps.

Spade grabbed at his Chimchar's Poké Ball and released Chimchar quietly. "Chimchar I want you to release as much flames as possible in that area," he said while pointing towards the Team Rocket voices.

Chimchar looked at the area and scratched its head. It was clear that it felt that this was unnecessary.

"It seems stupid but there are Team Rocket members over there and if you can get a sneak attack in then we can beat them," Spade whispered.

Chimchar nodded then ran in between the trees until he could get a clear shot of seven different Team Rocket members. Once Chimchar got within range, he opened his mouth and blasted a plethora of flames towards them.

Screams quickly followed and all seven Team Rocket members ran from the area. They all spotted Spade and began to charge towards him.

"You three take on this punk, and once your done go to Slowpoke Well. We're going to do the egg mission now," a teenage girl demanded three of the Team Rocket grunts. The girl was clearly the commander of this small group.

The three simply nodded and threw Poké Balls into the air. Two Zubat and a Rattata were revealed.

"Try to beat us now, kid," one of them mocked.

"Chimchar show no fear and use Fury Swipes!" Spade ordered Chimchar.

"Chimchar!" he cried out while jumping out of his hiding spot and charging towards the three Pokémon and flinging his palms at them.

"Zubat use Wing Attack!" one of the grunts commanded.

One of the Zubat retreated then charged back, hitting Chimchar with a glowing, white wing. Chimchar was sent back, holding his side in pain.

_Chimchar must still be weak from the last battle_, Spade groaned mentally. "Chimchar, don't let them punk you out. Use Flamethrower," Spade responded to the Zubat's attack. "Please hold out for the rest of this battle, then I promise you a rest!"

Chimchar leapt into the air and released flames upon the three Pokémon.

"Rattata, dodge and use Bite Attack," one of the grunts ordered quickly.

The flames engulfed both of the Zubat, but Rattata escaped and charged towards Chimchar, baring its teeth.

"Chimchar!" It cried while letting out another blast of flames towards the Rattata. The flames engulfed Rattata completely; once the flames left Rattata's body it was revealed to be unable to continue the fight.

Chimchar then fell to his knees and held his head, screaming into the air.

"What is happening?" Spade questioned.

Chimchar began glowing a bright white and the screaming stopped. Eventually Chimchar was covered completely in white and a new form was taken.

"Monferno!" It cried out once the white glow completely disappeared. Chimchar was now the advanced form, Monferno.

"Baa, baa," a tiny Pokémon cooed while running into the middle of the action. The small yellow Pokémon had a happy face as it skipped through the battlefield.

The fluffy little yellow Pokémon wasn't noticed by Spade or the Team Rocket members due to the commotion of Chimchar's evolution.

"I guess all of that training had to pay off. It was a very fast evolution too." Spade then paused and glared at the Rocket members. "Monferno, destroy those Zubat with a Flamethrower!"

Monferno opened his mouth and shot more flames at the Zubat, again landing a direct hit.

"Zubat, use Quick Attack," the grunts commanded in synchronization.

Spade responded quickly to the action. _They're not getting me that easily._ "Don't let them get close," he commanded.

Monferno nodded then darted quickly for the Zubat, fist glowing. Monferno's fist collided with both the Zubat and Mareep accidently. Both of the Zubat fell in defeat and Monferno stood the winner. The yellow, lamb-like Pokémon lay below Monferno completely knocked out. Spade still took hardly any notice of Mareep.

The rocket grunts returned their Pokémon, "This won't be forgotten little boy! You'll regret getting in our way so you better stay out of Team Rocket's path!"

_What a fantastic Mach Punch._ Spade spat at the ground and gave them a glare, "It'll be you who will regret getting in MY path!"

Without any more words the Team Rocket grunts ran into the forest and disappeared quickly.

"Baa…" the Mareep called weakly

Spade finally took notice of the Pokémon, now revealed to be Mareep, but could only glare. "I'd take you with me if you weren't so weak, return Monferno," he told his Pokémon while a red stream came from his Poké Ball. "It'd be wise of you to get some help."

Spade then walked off away from the small Pokémon.

The Mareep limped off into the dark.


	3. The Gym Battle

Spade woke up from his sleep after a voice shrieked throughout Violet Town. He slept next to a tree due to his stubbornness; he did not want to go to a Pokémon Center. Curious, he stood up and looked towards the direction of the yell.

"Why I can't beat Falkner?" A kid who looked like he could be his age questioned himself, "I thought I trained my Pokémon perfectly!" The trainer wore a white hat, a plain green shirt and white shorts. He looked like a rookie trainer.

Spade walked out from behind the bush and glared at the kid, "Can you keep it down? Who is this Falkner?"

"Falkner is this here city's gym leader," the kid explained. "He is a super-strong flying-type gym leader."

"Well, as a promise to myself, I must face off with the Johto gym leaders," Spade murmured. "Can you direct me to where this gym is? I'd like to give Falkner a try."

The kid pointed south and Spade thanked the kid and began on his way. "It may be awhile till I get there so I may as well get to reading my book on evolution," Spade told himself while pulling out the book that he stole from the dorky Professor.

He flipped through it until he reached the table of contents where he quickly found fire-types. He licked his thumb and then turned the page and found the Chimchar family. _Chimchar evolves at level 14 which explains why it evolved so quickly. Mach Punch was learned as soon as it evolved so that was a bonus. Maybe I shouldn't have Monferno evolve until it learns all of its best moves. Infernape will be a great asset to destroying Team Rocket_, he thought to himself.

It wasn't too long before Spade was at the doors of the gym and bracing himself for a fight. The gym had a giant spiral-type walkway and behind the walkway was a big building with a dome topping.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" A man asked Spade whenever Spade entered the gym.

"I am looking to challenge Falkner if you don't mind," Spade stated firmly. "Are you by chance him?"

"Heaven's no! I am only the gym director but I can lead you to Falkner," the man told Spade while walking away and motioning for Spade to follow.

Spade followed the man into a hallway that seemingly kept spinning. Eventually the man found two big doors that he opened revealing a small stadium with a curved ceiling. Sitting at the far end of the battlefield was a boy with blue hair and traditional Japanese wear.

"Falkner, I have a new challenger for you," the man told the blue-haired teenager.

Falkner looked up as though he was woken up from deep thought. "I do hope that you are worth the challenge," Falkner told Spade. "Doubt it, though. I am one of the best flying-type battlers in the world."

Spade merely chuckled, "We shall see with time."

Both trainers took their places at each side of the battlefield and prepared themselves for battle. A referee entered and held up two flags, one white the other red.

"This will be a one-on-one Pokémon battle between gym leader Falkner and challenger… um… I'm sorry but I don't have your name," the referee told Spade. "This is very unprofessional of me…"

Spade opened his mouth but then had to pause to think, _Maybe it won't be such a great idea to tell them my real name. For all I know, the police could be looking for me. An alias would be a lot better._ "My name is Jokix Terray," he lied.

"And challenger Jokix Terray," the referee added. "There will be no time-limit and the match will be over whenever one of battler's Pokémon is unable to continue. Begin!" He then lifted both flags into the air and the match was signaled to begin.

"Go, Noctowl," Falkner called while tossing his Poké Ball into the air.

Spade gave him a smug grin, "I'll defeat you with Monferno!"

"I sure do hope that you have some form of strategy. Monferno is a fighting-type so my flying-type will do a lot better against you," Falkner laughed.

"I'm positive that Monferno will get the job done," Spade snapped back. _I think someone needs to keep in mind that fighting-type attacks will do well against a part normal-type Pokémon._

"Noctowl, end this quickly with a Wing Attack," Falkner ordered.

Noctowl's wings lit up as it dove for the challenging Monferno. Monferno flinched as it knew the damage would be great.

"Show him your speed and get out of the way," Spade told Monferno calmly.

Monferno leapt into the air seconds before Noctowl would have connected. Noctowl dove straight into the ground and sent dust into the air. Dust seemingly blinded Noctowl for a few moments.

"Show no remorse and use Flamethrower," Spade told Monferno quickly.

In mid-air Monferno released flames upon the grounded Noctowl. The flames engulfed Noctowl completely and nothing could be seen. Noctowl could be heard from the heart of the flames groaning in pain. Once the flames died down Noctowl emerged, extremely weak.

Falkner grinned, "Noctowl use Roost!"

Noctowl cocked its head and then small, spirit like feathers appeared around its body. The feather's then were absorbed into Noctowl and it looked as though it was ready for a little bit more of a fight.

"This isn't a good sign," Spade mumbled to himself.

"Good job Noctowl! Now use your Wing Attack once more!"

Noctowl shot back into the air and towards Monferno, its wings glowing yet again. Before Monferno could react to the attack Noctowl jabbed its wing into Monferno's belly area. Monferno fell back to the ground hard but stood up as fast as it could.

"Do a Fury Swipes now!" Spade commanded. "Show no remorse!"

Monferno grinned an evil grin and dashed for Noctowl until it was backed into a corner. It began to scratch at Noctowl frantically; all that the bird Pokémon could do is take the damage.

Falkner watched as his Pokémon was attacked relentlessly with no hope in his eyes. Noctowl fell to the ground and Monferno backed off of it.

Spade put both of his hands in his pockets, "You'd think it'd be a little bit more of a challenge…"

"Noctowl try doing a Fury Attack," Falkner desperately cried.

Noctowl tried to go airborne but only fell back to the ground.

"We'll go ahead and wrap this up," Spade told Falkner with a grin. "Monferno, use Mach Punch!"

Monferno darted for Noctowl and his fist collided directly. Noctowl flew into the air and crashed back down a few feet in front of Falkner, completely incapable of continuing.

The referee rose his red flag cuing that the match was over, "Noctowl is unable to battle; the victory goes to Monferno and Jokix."

Falkner returned his Pokémon and walked towards Spade, the man who played referee was close behind. "You gave me a fierce battle. I stood no chance against your brutal battling style." He then held out a shiny silver badge that was shaped like a pair of wings. "This Zephyr Badge is yours, congratulations."

Spade snatched the gym badge from Falkner's hand, "I knew from the beginning the result of our battle. It was written into stone that I would win."

Spade then turned and began to walk away. Falkner didn't say a word to the disrespectful trainer. Instead he sat back down, upset at his loss.

Once Spade was outside the gym he turned to Monferno, "You did a good job but you should've won with the mere Flamethrower." He looked at the Bellsprout Tower. "I'm going to get you healed at the Pokémon Center then we are going to train over there."

He then returned Monferno then off to the Pokémon Center her walked. The previous battle raced through his mind, all he could think was how to keep improving. "All I need to do is keep battling with Monferno. Eventually it'll be in tip top shape…" Spade soon found the Pokémon Center and walked inside only to hear a loud voice.

"It's you! Spade Deno!" The familiar face of the boy that hung around with Heather yelled.

Spade stopped at the door then continued on, "What do you losers want? I mean, it's bad enough my Pokémon is hurt, and I lost my trainer card in the forest."

"I have you trainer card," the boy informed Spade. He then reached into his pocket and pulled it out, "You can have it back if you have a rematch against me for it."

"Ha! Sure, I'll take you down faster than I did last time," Spade chuckled, ringing the bell impatiently.

"Nurse Joy is busy," Heather told Spade calmly. Spade could tell the bell annoyed her.

Nurse Joy then walked out of a room holding on to the Mareep from before. Spade took notice of this and took a deep breath hoping that it wouldn't recognize him. _Please… please keep quiet…_

The Mareep growled at Spade upon seeing him.

"No it couldn't be," told himself under his breath.

Mareep leapt from Nurse Joy's arms and advanced towards Spade, electric sparks emitting from her fur.

"You're that Mareep my Chimchar beat up in the forest! Don't think I will do it again," Spade told it, trying to scare it off from a battle.

"You're the person who did this to Mareep?" Nurse Joy asked, her voice wavering. "You almost killed it! You should have more responsibility as a Pokémon Trainer! It's a good thing Heather and Free showed up when they did, or this Pokémon would be dead!"

"Okay, lady. Calm down," Spade muttered, putting his hands up. Mareep then ran after him and all that Spade could do was turn and run out near the forest. Spade looked back for a second and noticed that both of the trainers were following him.

He dashed into the forest and took cover behind a tree. "Why can't I ever get away from these freaks?" He questioned himself. Deep down he felt that Free was a rival though. Deep down this was the sense of adventure that he has been looking for.

Spade then spat at the ground and looked around the tree to see Mareep blindly looking for him. Spade pulled out his Poké Ball and released Monferno, "Do you feel that you have enough energy to take on that kid's Chikorita?"

Monferno merely nodded, clearly it was somewhat injured from the battle at the gym.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball and returned Monferno. He wanted Free to be surprised at his achievement in the evolvement. Spade turned and noticed that the trainers finally caught up to Mareep.

"He got away," Free muttered, looking down at the ground.

Spade smiled, "That's because I am extra speedy, can't you see that?"

"Mareep, you can go back into the forest, now," Heather whispered. Mareep stood up, and looked between Heather and the trees.

"Baa…" she replied, rubbing her head against Heather's leg.

"Weakness," Spade muttered to himself, trying to stay quiet.

"I think she wants to go with you," Free said, gesturing to Mareep.

"Do you want to come with us, Mareep?" Heather asked, pulling out a Poké Ball. Mareep nodded and jumped to push the button on the ball, capturing it.

"What makes her deserve Pokémon?" Spade questioned himself. "Is it the fact that she is so kind? Being kind to your Pokémon only lets them be weak!" Spade was only angering himself.

"I just caught a Mareep!" Heather yelled excitedly.

"Hardly," Spade told himself. "You can't consider that a real capture." He then took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Spade then turned and revealed himself from the tree, "Well done." He told her sarcastically while clapping and smiling. He then lifted up his Poké Ball, "Don't think I forgot about our rematch, Free!"

"I demand the rematch… Chikorita are you ready?" Free asked his Pokémon.

"Chika!" Chikorita cried while stepping into a battle stance.

"Go, Monferno!" Spade yelled, tossing his Poké Ball into the air.

"It evolved!" Heather screamed, pointing at Monferno.


	4. The Busy Day

"Yeah, Chikorita doesn't stand a chance," Spade replied, hearing Heather's comment.

"We'll see," Free muttered.

"Monferno, Flamethrower!" Spade commanded. Monferno sent a burst of flames burning towards Chikorita.

"Dodge, Chikorita!" Free yelled. Chikorita rolled out of the path of the flames just in time.

Spade decided to stay simply on the offensive. "Start digging underground," Spade ordered his Pokémon. Monferno dug fast and was soon deep underground.

"Be careful, Chikorita! He could pop out at any moment," Free warned.

_It is a good thing that I'm battling someone with actual skill. He doesn't bore me to tears_, Spade thought. Monferno soon burst through the ground, sending dirt flying everywhere. Chikorita responded immediately, her leaves flying and cutting into Monferno.

"Monferno, get out of there!" Spade ordered and Monferno rolled away swiftly. "Charge with Mach Punch!"

Monferno's fist collided so fast with Chikorita, it was barely seen. Chikorita was sent flying back to her trainer. She landed on the ground with a loud _thud._

"Chikorita!" Free yelled, worried about his Pokémon.

"Chi…ka…" Chikorita struggled to get back up.

"Good, Chikorita. Go ahead and use Synthesis," Free commanded. Chikorita raised her leaf in the air and began to absorb the sunlight and soon her wounds were healed.

_That is a very similar technique to using Roost… this isn't good with Monferno having almost no energy left_, Spade thought worryingly.

"Chika!" Chikorita cried into the air, still stealing the sun's energy.

"All right, Chikorita. Now use Razor Leaf again!" Free smiled and told his Pokémon. Chikorita flung a leaf at Monferno, who screamed.

"What are you doing to my Pokémon?" Spade questioned, scared to lose the battle. Free ignored the question and continued the battle.

"Chikorita, now use Mega Drain!" Free ordered. Chikorita closed her eyes and began taking energy from Monferno, who continued to shriek.

"Okay, that's it! Monferno, don't take anymore of this. Use Flamethrower!" Spade demanded his Pokémon to continue fighting. Monferno jumped into the air and blew wicked, blistering flames from his mouth.

"Chikorita, go into the hole!" Free said quickly as Chikorita dove into the whole Monferno had dug, the flames passing right over the opening. When Monferno ran out of flames, Chikorita staggered out of the hole, coughing from the smoke.

"Monferno, Dig!" Spade responded immediately, seeing Chikorita was distracted. But Monferno seemed tired. He hesitated before plunging his hand deep into the ground.

"Chikorita! Vine whip, before Monferno gets back underground!" He commanded. Chikorita nodded and flung her vines hard at Monferno's back, knocking him on his stomach.

"Get up, Monferno!" Spade yelled angrily.

"Mon…Monfer…no," it stuttered weakly before falling unconscious. Spade stood in shock for a little bit but then noticed that Free and Heather were staring.

"Monferno, return," Spade whispered furiously. He glared at Free and Heather before turning and walking away into the forest.

Spade began to run for the Bellsprout Tower.

"I can't believe I lost to a trainer like him!" He screamed to himself.

He passed the Pokémon Center and soon after, the Pokémon Gym. In his studies from being with Team Rocket, he knew that Bellsprout Tower was one of the best places for new trainers. Once he reached the tower he released Monferno. Monferno sat on the ground, still feeling the effects of the battle.

"We can't be letting that happen again," Spade stated. He then reached into his bag and threw a berry at Monferno. "It is a Sitrus Berry and will replenish a good majority of your health."

Monferno weakly chewed on it, knowing that he was only in for more training.

"Are you ready to obliterate these trainers in here?" Spade asked Monferno.

Monferno nodded and stood back up.

Spade and Monferno entered the tower and looked around. He noticed a monk standing at a staircase and he walked towards him. The monk had a well shaven head and wore a dark brown robe that was fastened at the waist with a tan rope.

"Excuse me? Can you direct me to where I can battle trainers here?" Spade asked.

The monk smiled, "If you go up here you can face off with many different trainers who are also honing their skills here."

Spade nodded and walked the staircase. Sure enough he reached an abundance of trainers that all looked as though they were ready to fight.

"Who here thinks that they are strong enough to take me?" Spade asked cockily.

"You don't look that strong," a voice echoed from the back. A girl with long pink hair walked from behind a few other trainers and revealed herself to Spade. "My name is Mika! I can take you on if you want? I'm the current Bellsprout Tower Champion; I doubt that you actually stand a chance against me."

"The current Bellsprout Tower Champion, eh? Sounds like a prestigious honor to hold." Spade sarcastically told her. "I'll go ahead and take that 'honor' from you and destroy you where you stand."

"If that is how you want it, then so be it! Go, Marill!" She called while tossing a Poké Ball into the air. From the Pokémon emerged a round blue Pokémon with a white belly. It had a smile on its face but Spade could tell that there could be a tough battle coming his way.

"Marill!" It cried out happily.

Spade grinned, "Monferno, destroy that Marill!"

Monferno formed from the white light in front of Marill and once he caught sight of the tiny Pokémon a weary look began to draw upon his face. "Mon-Monferno?" It was clear that Monferno's self-esteem was crushed and facing a water-type wasn't going to help after a loss to a grass-type.

_I know that Monferno can beat this Marill. It may be a water-type, but they've never seen a Monferno like mine. Prepare to lose Mika_, Spade thought.

"You do understand that water-types can easily knock down fire-types, right?" Mika asked, a natural impolite edge seeped into her voice.

Spade glared at her, knowing that type differences could mean nothing if you knew a good strategy. "I will start then! Monferno, use Mach Punch!"

Monferno darted for Marill and jabbed his fist square into Marill's stomach.

"Marill!" Mika screamed, not expecting any form of attack from Monferno.

"Give it some Fury Swipes!" Spade ordered; he wanted to put Mika in her place.

Monferno quickly removed his fist from Marill's stomach and began slashing away rapidly at the rest of Marill until Marill was too exhausted to continue. Once Monferno noticed that Marill could no longer continue he stopped and Marill fell down right at his feet.

"Looks like I win," Spade told Mika with a smile.

Mika stood frozen for awhile, "I-I didn't think that y-you would be any good…" She then lifted her hand and returned her Marill. "You are a lot better than I thought you would be…"

"Who else would be willing to face off against me? I bet you that no one can pull off a victory!" Spade called, looking to get as much training as he could for his Monferno.

"That was really fast," a voice from the watching crowd mumbled.

"Yeah, I can't believe my eyes," another said in disbelief.

Spade grinned because of the compliments, "So, will no one take me on? I promise that the fate of your Pokémon will be the same as Marill's."

Suddenly a boy from the crowd emerged. He had ruffled blonde hair and wore robe very similar to the one from the monk downstairs. "I will take you up on your challenge. Why don't we make it a two-on-two battle?"

_I don't even have a second Pokémon but I'm pretty sure that Monferno could take anything this little kid could dish out. I hope that it isn't too much for the little guy though. A gym battle, then a battle against Free and now two more on top of that_, Spade contemplated in his head. "I'll accept your challenge, you wanna-be monk."

"Then I'll start off with my Bellsprout of course!" He said with a smile, his tiny vine-like Pokémon popped out of its ball.

"Bellsprout," it cooed while swaying as though it was dancing.

The blonde monk smiled, "Alright Bellsprout, let us use the Vine Whip attack!"

"Show him that odd grammar won't win a Pokémon battle! Use your Flamethrower and destroy that tiny grass-type," Spade commanded, laughing at his own joke.

Bellsprout shot two vines from its tiny leaves that were from its side. Before they could connect, Monferno grabbed ahold of them and flames emerged from his mouth. The flames engulfed Bellsprout and its vines became limp. Once the flames left the battlefield it was revealed that Bellsprout could no longer continue; the fire-type kept true to its type advantage.

"I figured out your battle style," The blonde monk told Spade while returning Bellsprout back into its ball. "You battle with brute force… there is no real strategy. I know that you could take down that Marill but could you take down a stronger water-type? I doubt it, your strategy is definitely lacking." He then tossed a Poké Ball into the air and a round Pokémon with a white belly and a black spiral appeared.

"Poliwhirl!" It cried out happily.

"My Polisher will be able to destroy that Monferno of yours with ease. It won't be like going against Marill," he snapped with a grin.

"Whatever. Monferno, use your Mach Punch!" Spade ordered. He knew that he could still win.

Monferno took a deep breath then darted for Poliwhirl, his fist colliding with Poliwhirl's stomach. Poliwhirl's stomach sunk in and seemed to absorb Monferno's fist.

"While we have him all stuck, why don't we try a DoubleSlap?" The blonde monk called. In his head, he was all that.

Poliwhirl grabbed ahold of Monferno's arm then with his other hand he began to slap Monferno in the face repeatedly. Monferno couldn't escape; Poliwhirl's grip on his arm was too powerful.

_Maybe I can win this if Monferno's ability activates. I guess that could be my only hope for now, _Spade thought. "Monferno use your Flamethrower now!"

Monferno opened his mouth and flames soared from it before another DoubleSlap could connect. The flames engulfed both Pokémon at close range, the shine from them lit up the whole room.

"Poliwhirl use your Bubblebeam!" The monk screamed, he was getting desperate.

Still in the flames, Poliwhirl released a vicious Bubblebeam from the middle of its stomach. The bubbles extinguished the flames and both Pokémon flew out; both were injured greatly. Monferno was heaving from the great battles that he had to perform in today. Suddenly, he began to glow a slight red color, his ability, Blaze, had activated.

"What is happening to Monferno?" A crowd member questioned in a hushed tone.

Spade grinned, "That would Monferno's ability, Blaze. It raises its fire power by an extreme amount. How about we end this now, Monferno, use your Flamethrower!"

Monferno opened his mouth, this time backed a little bit away from Poliwhirl, and then a steady but fierce flame emerged. The flame once more engulfed Poliwhirl and its cry could be heard from inside. Monferno now had a mean look in its eyes, a look that he would do whatever it took to win. The flames kept escaping Monferno's mouth and never once did it look as though they would stop.

"Stop hurting my Poliwhirl, you win!" The blonde monk shouted before running and grabbing his Poliwhirl out of the flames, burning his hands in the process.

Spade sneered, "Next time don't rip on my battling style. Maybe you should do some training. Another thing… don't jump in a battle like that ever again. I could've finished off your pathetic Poliwhirl at any moment and I would have truly won." He then returned Monferno and walked down the stairs to reach the outside. "Till the next time we meet…"


	5. The First Capture!

Today the only thing left for Spade to do is to continue on with his journey in conquering all of the Johto Regions gyms. His next gym resides in Azalea Town. Knowing this Spade makes his way through Route 33.

"C'mon out, Monferno!" Spade called while throwing his Poké Ball into the air. Monferno appeared and gave a tough grin. "I'd like to congratulate you on all your wins at the Bellsprout Tower."

At the sound of this, Monferno jumped up with happiness.

"But that honestly means nothing! All of them were weaklings so you only need to grow stronger… for our goal. I do know one thing, though: we need to capture more Pokémon if we want to get any better," Spade explained. "You will keep a look out for any Pokémon that look strong."

Monferno nodded then closed his eyes, listening for any Pokémon close by. After awhile of waiting, Monferno opened up his eyes and dashed off, Spade not far from behind.

"So, I take it that you sense a very powerful Pokémon?" Spade questioned, "That is definitely an acceptable quality of yours."

After a few more minutes of running Monferno found its target, Machop. "Monferno!" Spade's Pokémon growled at the unsuspecting Machop.

Machop, with his back turned to Spade, lifted a boulder and began to exercise with it.

"Not too sharp of the ears, but is definitely a powerful Pokémon to say the least," Spade commented. "Let's get a sneak attack it, Monferno use an Ember attack!"

Monferno grinned and shot a powerful flurry of flames towards the exercising Machop. Machop quickly noticed that it was being ambushed so it dropped the boulder in front of it, defending itself from the Ember attack.

"So, it does have some form of brains," Spade laughed. "Don't let it gain any leverage, use your Mach Punch!"

Monferno darted quickly towards the boulder, jabbing his fist into it which caused it to crack and shatter into many pieces. Once the rubble cleared from the air, Machop made its move. Before Monferno could even blink, Machop crouched, reached out its leg and swept it under Monferno causing Monferno to fall on his back.

Spade frowned, "Watch out for its Low Kick and use Dig!"

Monferno took a deep breath before he hacked into the dirt and soon was hidden. Machop noticed this and crouched down to the ground, seemingly trying to sense Monferno. In little time, Machop lifted one of its arms and slammed it against the ground causing many cracks in the ground and Monferno to be forcefully shot out. Before Monferno could react, Machop flattened its hand and drove it into Monferno's side. Monferno took the blow directly and flew into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Nothing that we do is working!" Spade screamed, "This Machop is definitely a born fighter…"

Monferno fell to the ground then flinched a little bit. Machop took this as a signal to finish the battle so it darted for the grounded Monferno, hand ready for another Karate Chop.

"Before it can get close use another Ember!" Spade commanded.

Monferno struggled but lifted his head at the last second, blowing flames at the Machop. Machop wasn't fazed too much, but still it stumbled back.

"Give it your strongest Mach Punch!" Spade ordered, taking advantage of the dazed Machop.

Monferno shot up into the air and punched hard at the Machop. Monferno's fist collided quickly with Machop's jaw and Machop fell back.

Spade reached into his baggy pocket and pressed the button on his Poké Ball. "You are definitely a worthy Pokémon… I will make you mine!" He then threw the Poké Ball towards Machop and it opened, taking the Machop inside of it. The Poké Ball fell to the ground and shook a little bit before a ding could be heard and the Machop was captured.

Spade walked over to the ball and picked it up. He grinned at the Poké Ball but quickly caught sight of his Monferno that was lying on the ground from a tough Pokémon battle. He crouched down to help up Monferno. "One thing that Team Rocket tried to sew into my mind is that Pokémon are mere tools and we treat them with no respect. I do not believe this entirely and I believe that we can have a close connection. I'm glad that you are my partner and I promise to grow strong along with you."

Monferno dusted off dirt from his shoulder and gave a weak smile, "Ferno…"

Spade stood up and released the Machop. Machop looked around a bit confused; it was never in a Poké Ball before.

"Machop, I like your strength and I know that you would be a great asset to helping me complete my goal. Are you willing to accept me as your master and willing to train hard to destroy Team Rocket?" Spade asked sternly.

Machop looked at Monferno and patted it on the back, "Machop, ma!"

Spade grinned, "Good… now I won't just allow you to be on my team. First I will have you complete a test to prove that you are strong. I still need more Pokémon for my team and you will help me capture more. If you can do so then you are allowed to join my team."

Machop wiped away its smile and nodded in agreement with Spade.

"Now, let's continue down this route and if we run into any strong Pokémon you will be the Pokémon that I will use. Got it?" Spade questioned Machop.

Spade then continued on the route along with his Pokémon, everyone keeping an open eye out for any Pokémon. In little time some rustling could be heard from a distance and Spade darted towards the noises.

"Haunter-Haunt!" A purple ghost-like Pokémon shrieked with happiness.

"Looks like we found ourselves a Haunter," Spade whispered to Machop. "This is the perfect test for you. To battle where you will have a disadvantage is your best advantage."

Machop then smiled and dashed out in front of Haunter to begin a battle. Haunter quickly caught sight of what was going on and attacked with electric sparks that emitted from its body. Machop ducked the shocks and then charged for the Haunter.

"Watch out, it knows Thunderbolt! Use Foresight whenever you are close enough!" Spade ordered, "Don't you dare let him escape!"

Once Machop felt like it was within range it watched Haunter closely and its eyes lit up a bright blue. Once its eyes went back to their normal coloration, Machop grabbed ahold of Haunter and tossed it towards the ground.

"Nicely done, now use a Karate Chop!" Spade ordered with a smirk.

Machop stepped back then opened its hand and darted forward to only chop down hard on the already grounded Haunter. The attack connected directly and Haunter seemed to have become unconscious.

"Haunter…" it groaned in pain.

Spade pulled out a Poké Ball from his pocket and pressed the button, "Your Thunderbolt attack will definitely come as a surprise to any opposition. You're mine!" Spade then pulled back his arm and threw the Poké Ball at the unconscious Pokémon. The Poké Ball connected and began to shake for a little bit before exploding and letting out Haunter from the ball. This battle was yet to be over.

Haunter caught sight of Machop and gave it a glare that seemed to have paralyzed Machop in his tracks. It then lunged at Machop and its fist smacked against Machop's face causing the fighting Pokémon to fall onto his back.

"You just got Sucker Punched! Don't let that happen again and use your Seismic Toss!" Spade commanded in his usual rough tone. _I'm not going to let this Pokémon escape from me!_

Machop stood up quickly and leapt for Haunter. He grabbed ahold of its body as a whole then began to swing it as though it was a toy. Machop, before letting go, jumped into the air and slammed Haunter into the ground.

Haunter struggled but floated back up into a fighting stance, this time wavering around in the air letting out an uncertainty that it couldn't continue. "Haunter!" It cried before releasing more sparks from its body that shocked the ground in front of Machop giving him a warning.

"Atleast this Pokémon has heart; I like whenever they are determined to be strong," Spade told Monferno. "Machop, don't give in to its warning and attack with one more Seismic Toss!" Machop nodded and ran out of the dirt that clouded the fight and grabbed ahold of Haunter before once more tossing it into the ground.

"Haunter…" it cooed while laying in a crevice in the ground.

Spade picked up the ball that he formerly tried to capture it with and threw it at the grounded Pokémon. The ball connected with Haunter and the ghost Pokémon was absorbed into the ball and let out a relieving _ding _that informed Spade of a successful capture.

"Looks like two strong battlers in one day. Are we lucky or what?" He questioned his Monferno with a smile.

Monferno patted Machop's back and grinned, "Mon-Monferno!"

"Machop!" His new Pokémon cried with happiness.

Spade grinned, "You did a good job. Success!" He then picked up the Poké Ball and released Haunter from it. "Welcome to our team Haunter. Are you ready for the hardest training of your life… or death?" He looked at it not knowing if he'd be working with something that had a soul or not.

Haunter looked around puzzled, "Haunter?"

"Machop-Ma," Machop seemed to be explaining the joke to Haunter.

Haunter then smiled and nodded, "Haunter!"

"Good, then on to Azalea we continue," Spade then pulled up two Poké Balls and returned both Haunter and Machop. "You both will need your rest. Monferno will continue to follow along with me if anything dangerous comes around."

Monferno grinned, "Monferno!"

**A/N So we updated every single one of our stories today and even added in a Halloween Special for our first story because today is Heather's actual birthday (she turns 17). If you have time you should all go through and read those stories for us! Love you all, peace!**


	6. The Rocket Battle

"What do you think you're doing getting in our way kid?" A Team Rocket member growled towards Spade.

Spade had found members of Team Rocket sneaking into Union Cave. He took matters into his own hands and decided that he'd pick a quick fight with them.

"What exactly do you think you're doing going into Union Cave?" Spade questioned. He held out a Poké Ball. "If I were you, I'd turn around!"

Two Rocket members emerged from the group with smirks on their faces. They both tossed Poké Balls into the air and two Zubat emerged.

_I think this would be a good time to use Haunter_, he thought. He was still yet to use Haunter but knowing that Haunter had Thunderbolt gave him the advantage. He tossed Haunter's Poké Ball into the air and the ghost Pokémon emerged.

"Zubat use your Wing Attacks!" Both of the Rocket members commanded in unison. Both of the Zubat then darted for Haunter with both of their wings lit up a bright white coloration.

"Get out of the way and use your Thunderbolt!" Spade commanded, there was no way that Team Rocket would beat him.

Haunter dodged the attacks all too quickly and exploded with electric sparks. The sparks connected with both the Zubat and they fell unconscious. "Haunter!" It called while dancing around.

"That was too easy… Why don't you go ahead and run away while you have the chance?" Spade taunted. Haunter floated in front of him with a playful smile directed towards the Team Rocket members. It seemed to get a joy from battling.

The two Team Rocket members returned their Pokémon and backed up into the group. This time a muscular Team Rocket member revealed himself and he tossed a Poké Ball into the air. The Poké Ball opened up and revealed the evolved form of Zubat: Golbat.

"This one may be a little bit more difficult for you but I know that you'll still win!" Spade encouraged Haunter.

The beefed out Rocket member snorted, "Pitiful! Golbat use your Air Slash!"

Golbat then flew higher into the air than it already was and one of its wings turned white. It then flapped the wing quickly towards Haunter and the white glow seemed to have shot towards Haunter.

"Avoid it then use your Thunderbolt!" Spade ordered.

Haunter maneuvered around the Air Slash then quickly shot sparks towards Golbat. The sparks connected directly and Golbat fell towards the ground. Before Golbat could hit the ground though, it stopped and recovered.

"Good Golbat, now use your Wing Attack," the Rocket member ordered.

Golbat then darted for Haunter, both wings glowing and prepared to do serious damage. Before Spade could give a command, Golbat was already in front of Haunter and its wing connected with the entirety of Haunter's body. Haunter flew past Spade but quickly regained its battle pose.

Spade scowled at the Golbat, "Don't let that weakling get you like that again! Use your Shadow Ball!"

"Counter that with Air Slash!" The Rocket member ordered roughly.

Haunter formed a ball in between her hands and shot it at Golbat. Golbat countered with an Air Slash from the edges of its wings. The moves connected in the middle of the Pokémon and caused a tiny explosion that Spade could take advantage of.

"Before the smoke clears use your Thunderbolt in Golbat's direction!" Spade ordered with a sly smile.

Haunter did a little dance before releasing her electricity into the smoke and at Golbat. Golbat's cries could be heard from the contact of the attack, soon its body fell from the air and landed on the unforgiving ground.

The beefy Rocket member returned his Golbat and vanished back into the group. This time instead of one or two, three Team Rocket members emerged from the group. Spade finally realized that the battle may never come to an end.

_No matter how many Pokémon I knock back… they're going to keep coming back_, Spade thought. His facial expression showed no sign of weakness though; to show fear is to have fear is one of the motto's that Spade had to grow up with.

All three of the Team Rocket members tossed Poké Balls into the air. A Raticate, Drowzee, and Sandshrew all emerged ready to fight.

"Haunter we're going to fight until we can't fight anymore!" Spade encouraged, he knew it was about to be a lost cause though. "Let's start with Shadow Ball!"

"Attack!" The Team Rocket members commanded in unison, there was no actual decided attack.

All the Pokémon began their attacks but were interrupted. "Mouh Mahn Taih!" A voice rang from behind Spade. Spade turned and found that the voice came from a girl no older than him. She wore blue jeans and had a grey jacket that covered up her green shirt. Her hair was short and auburn color, her eyes were that of a green color. She stood in front of Union Cave with a small green Pokémon with a bulb on its back.

"I'd watch yourself little girl; you might just get hurt," one of the Rocket members snapped.

She walked up next to Spade, her Bulbasaur following. "If you take on Drowzee with your Haunter and Sam takes on the Sandshrew we should have the advantage. After that Raticate should be a breeze."

"I still could have taken these Rocket member's on without you!" Spade snapped. "You should take their advice and run along."

"Bulba-Bulbasaur!" Her Pokémon commented.

"Sam wants to help out. That's what we're going to do," she explained with an easy-going smile.

"Just don't get in my way!" Spade told her before focusing back on the Rockets. "Haunter use your Shadow Ball on Drowzee!"

"Sam try your Vine Whip!" The girl ordered her Bulbasaur.

Before any of the Rockets could realize what was going on, Haunter formed a dark ball in the middle of her hands then shot it at Drowzee while two straight vines shot from the bulb of Sam, the Bulbasaur. The shadowy ball connected with Drowzee and Sam's Vine Whip struck the Sandshrew. Drowzee fell back hard from the blast whilst Sandshrew curled up into a ball to inform the trainers that it gave in. It was clear that Team Rocket didn't give much training time to their Pokémon.

"Now are you guys going to run away, or must your Raticate suffer?" The girl questioned.

The Rocket member who sent out Raticate stepped forward and returned his Pokémon. "I think we are beat here guys. Maybe we should just try to continue with our mission, Jada needs us."

And with that all the Rocket members dashed off before letting out a faint shout, "Team Rocket is blasting off again!"

Spade grinned and returned his Haunter then turned to the girl and frowned, "You didn't have to jump in like that. I could have won that battle by myself."

She turned back to him and glared, "You weren't being a friend to your Haunter. If you kept forcing her to battle she could have gotten really hurt!" She then smacked the back of Spade's head and he winced.

"Don't you dare butt into my business!" Spade snapped.

Sam then jumped in front of the girl and growled, "Bulba-Bulbasaur!" The vines from its bulb then emerged showing that it was willing to strike.

"If you continue to yell at me Sam will have to hurt you!" The girl teased she then leaned down and began petting her Pokémon.

_I can't believe this; is she serious? Does she really think that this is acceptable behavior?_ Spade thought angrily.

"My name is Abby, Abby Ling. A simple 'thank you' for helping would be appropriate," she explained with a smile.

Spade stared at her then turned to walk away, "Thank you for your help Abby Ling. I will be on my way now."

"Hey wait up!" Abby cried before returned her Bulbasaur and running to catch up with Spade who was now entering Union Cave. "You never gave me your name!"

Spade continued walking with Abby next to him, she annoyed him but then again, who didn't?

"Well are you going to give it to me?" She pestered. All Spade could do was continue walking with an annoyance, no answers, as if he couldn't hear her. After awhile of walking Abby finally accepted that his name would be no easy fare. "Can I atleast ask you what you're doing on your journey?"

"To get stronger is what I'm after," Spade answered, he bowed his head so his dark red hair would be in his face hiding his anger.

Abby smiled, "At least I've got that… I'm on a journey with my friends to become a top coordinator. Are you by chance going to be participating in contests?"

At the sound of this Spade choked a little bit, "Are you kidding? All that prancy Nancy stuff is for trainers with no real battling skills. I guess you can say that I'm competing for the Johto League."

"I have to disagree with you about the prancy contests. You have to actually put a lot of training into them," Abby explained with a smile. It seemed like Spade's attitude wasn't getting to her and this only annoyed Spade more.

"You can feel how you want to," Spade snapped. "How long are you going to be following me?"

"It matters; where are you heading off too?" Abby questioned, she pulled out a PokéGear and began to play around with it.

Spade glared at her, "I'm going to Azalea Town to face off against the Gym Leader." _Please don't be going to Azalea Town_, he begged in his mind.

"That's where I'm going next! I'm going to be competing in the Azalea Town Contest!" She explained with excitement. "Why don't we go together and travel around Johto?"

Spade's glare never ceased, "Why should we? You will only slow me down!"

"What happens when you're attacked by more Team Rocket members? I can help you out next time they strike. I think they're bad people so I'd like to get rid of them," Abby explained and slightly taunted.

Spade stopped in his tracks, "My real goal… is to rid of Team Rocket…"

"Then we CAN work together," she then placed her hand on his shoulder. "After they're finally gone we can split our ways; strength in numbers, don't you agree?"

He looked at her, "I guess I can make an exception… only until we've beaten them. By the way, my name is Spade Deno."

**A/N Okay so now I've introduce Abby who is an OC from wisdom-jewel. Abby will officially become Spade's new traveling partner so we'll just have to wait to see how everything turns out! Special thanks to wisdom-jewel and in a few chapters we'll have another OC make their appearance. Peace, JohtoBlue**


	7. The Second Gym Battle!

"So, we're here Azalea; should we head over to the gym so you can battle the Gym Leader?" Abby questioned while they entered Azalea Town. "My contest is going to be tomorrow, so what about getting your battle out of the way first?"

Spade frowned at her, "What makes you think that you can give out the orders? No matter what you say, I'm going to take on the gym today."

"Mouh Mahn Taih. You don't have to get snappy with me. How about we go do that gym battle now?" Abby suggested, patting Spade on the back in a playful way.

"First, I must fulfill a promise I made to someone. I have to find whoever this Kurt is and give him a box," Spade explained. "Then on with my battle."

"We can find him at the corner of town," Abby informed him. She had pulled her PokéGear out and looked it up on the map.

Spade nodded and they made their way to Kurt's house, finding it without a problem. It was a small house that was surrounded by trees with giant fruit-like objects dangling from them.

Spade approached the door and knocked on it, he then pocketed his hands and fumbled around for the black box that the man from before gave him. The door opened up slowly and an old man wearing a green gi held up by a brown belt walked out. He had the same facial expression that Spade usually had− grumpy.

"Can I help you?" The man questioned, he was now believed to be Kurt.

"Do you happen to be Kurt?" Spade questioned, trying to confirm his mental accusation.

The man nodded and grunted a little bit, "Yes, now my previous question comes back. Can I help you?" A small Pokémon with a red shell and yellow appendages crawled to his side.

"I've received a package for you from a man in Cherrygrove," Spade replied, pulling out the black box and handing it to Kurt. "He gives his best regards."

"Ah, I've been expecting this from Zachary. Do you happen to be his boy? Free I think his name was?" Kurt asked, hearing this, Spade's skin crawled.

"No, my name is Spade. I met Zachary shortly after I entered Cherrygrove and I told him I'd bring you this box. And I thought that his son's name was Fai?" Spade replied. He didn't want to help anybody related to his rival.

"Why did you let him know your name that easily whenever I had to prick and pry?" Abby questioned, only to be ignored.

Kurt laughed, "No, that is his oldest son! The Cherrygrove Gym Leader, Fai. I'm talking about his son that recently became a trainer, Free."

"So, Fai is Free's brother…" Spade muttered to himself.

"Are you friends with Free by chance?" Kurt questioned, he then tucked the black box into his pocket.

Spade turned, "I guess you can say that we are familiar with each other. I'm sorry, Kurt but I must go now. May we meet again in the near future."

Kurt watched as Spade and Abby walked off of his property and back towards the gym. "Shuckle, I feel… sadness in that boy, but at the same time, potential for greatness."

"Shuckle?" His Pokémon cooed before inching back inside the house.

"Aw, Spade I wanted to talk to the old man about making Poké Balls! It was rude that you left without us getting any souvenirs," Abby snapped. She held her hands behind her head while she walked behind Spade.

Spade lowered his head, "If you want to go back, you can. I have to keep getting better if I want to beat Fai. And Free."

"Who's this Free character you keep getting all red-faced about?" Abby pestered, she slightly chuckled at her comment.

"He is my rival− at the moment. I need to get better if I want to beat him," Spade explained. During their small walk, they already reached the Azalea Gym that had a dome appearance to it.

Abby patted him on the back, it seemed to become an idiosyncrasy of hers to do so, "So, is he your whole reason for starting this journey?"

Spade brushed her hand away, "Do you know anything about this gym? Any advice? I would appreciate it."

"All I know is that the Gym Leader uses bug-types. If you have any flying-types or fire-types you can do an awesome job," Abby explained.

Spade nodded then opened the door to the gym and walked in. He and Abby were quickly surrounded by trees that could be found throughout the entirety of the gym.

"Welcome to the Azalea Gym! How's it going?" A small boy with green hair and a bug net asked politely.

Spade scowled, "I'm here to challenge the Gym Leader. Do you know where I can find him?"

"He's standing right in front of you! My name is Bugsy and I'm the Azalea Town Gym Leader! Nice to meet you," Bugsy explained. "Why don't you follow me and I'll accept your challenge." Bugsy then began to walk off and Spade slowly followed.

Spade turned to Abby, "I'm going to give them a fake name, do not call me out on it!" He whispered.

"Mouh Mahn Taih," Abby said, pushing him towards Bugsy.

Bugsy soon came to a small battlefield and he waved for a referee, "We've got a challenger! What is your name?"

"My name is Jokix Terray," Spade replied, keeping his original alias. Spade then took his spot at the challenger's side of the battlefield.

"This battle will be a 3-on-3 single battle between challenger, Jokix Terray and Gym Leader, Bugsy. Only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokémon. There will be no time limit, begin!" The referee who was called out for the battle announced.

"I'll begin with Pinsir!" Bugsy announced while throwing a Poké Ball into the air, the battle had officially begun.

Spade grabbed at his belt, _Any Pokémon that I have would be a good match-up, but I have to take power into account. Monferno would be great, but I don't want to wear him out so fast into the battle._ "I'll start with my Machop!"

"Pinsir, use your Brick Break!" Bugsy ordered, it was as if he could sense Spade's blood boiling. Pinsir's arm started to glow and it began a slow jog towards Machop, it was about to be a fight between two, strong powerhouses.

_If he wants to take me head on then bring it! _Spade thought. "Go for your Karate Chop!" Machop then flattened his hand and began to run for the bug Pokémon. Both attacks met in the middle of the battlefield, arm against hand and a soft explosion was caused from the connection. Both Pokémon retreated and stood where they originally started.

"Go for your X-Scissor, now!" Bugsy ordered. Both of the horns atop of Pinsir's head started to glow dimly and it began another slow charge.

"I want you to wait for the right moment then use your Low Kick. After that, use your Seismic Toss," Spade told Machop so that only his Pokémon could hear. His Pokémon then waited for the opportune time.

Pinsir continued its charge but was soon swept from its legs, and it fell hard onto the ground. Machop stood straight and grabbed ahold of Pinsir and did a back flip, throwing Pinsir back into the ground. Pinsir stayed grounded a bit before struggling to stand back up.

Bugsy took this as a signal to attack, "Before it can get away, Brick Break one more time!" Pinsir's arm lit up once more and it jabbed at Machop, causing the grey Pokémon to fall back.

_So, Seismic Toss wasn't enough?_ "Watch out, this thing is faster than we thought." Spade warned.

Machop nodded then a fierce smile appeared on his face, "Machop!" He then leapt towards Pinsir and swept at its legs with blinding speed.

"What was that?" Spade wondered while Pinsir struggled to get up once more. He picked his evolution book out of his pocket and flipped to Machop's family. _Low Sweep, it is similar to Low Kick but can assist in lowering the opponent's speed_. "Good job Machop! Finish this off with one more Seismic Toss!"

Machop grabbed ahold of both of Pinsir's arms then tossed it towards one of the nearby trees. Pinsir smacked against it and fell to the ground, no longer able to continue.

"Pinsir is unable to continue! Your winner is Machop!" The referee announced.

Bugsy returned Pinsir but with a smile on his face, "That was an awesome battle! Can't wait to see the rest of your surprises. I'll go with Pineco now!" A round Pokémon with many extruding, points and two big eyes appeared.

"We'll go ahead and use our new move! Machop, use your Low Sweep!" Spade ordered, he couldn't tell but Abby could see that he was enjoying the Pokémon battle.

Machop took a deep breath before leaping towards Pineco and sweeping his leg at the bottom of Pineco.

"Use his attack to better your Rapid Spin! " Bugsy ordered, under his small body was a tough battler. As soon as Machop's leg connected Pineco began to spin only gaining momentum from being struck. Pineco shot towards Machop at close range and the fighting Pokémon fell to the ground, unable to get back up.

"Machop is unable to continue! Your winner is Pineco!" The referee declared, holding up a flag towards Bugsy.

"You should've taken into account that Machop was very worn out. You do know that you can substitute," Abby reminded Spade. "Don't overwork your Pokémon!"

Spade shrugged then returned Machop, "He did his best… that is what counts. Now it's Haunter's turn!" He then threw his Poké Ball into the air and revealed his purple, ghost Pokémon.

"Gyro Ball!" Bugsy ordered. Pineco began to spin once more towards its foe. This time it was glowing a dim white.

"Wait and fight back with a Thunderbolt!" Spade ordered. Haunter waited a little bit before she released electric sparks from her body and sent them for Pineco. Pineco took the hit directly but it didn't seem to stop the Gyro Ball attack. Gyro Ball connected and both of the Pokémon crashed into each other.

Bugsy smiled, "Before it's ghost attributes take effect use Selfdestruct! I'm sorry my friend!" Before anymore actions could be taken, Pineco shined a bright white and a big explosion followed. The battlefield filled with smoke but once it evaporated both Pokémon were revealed to be unconscious.

"Both Pineco and Haunter are unable to battle. This battle ends in a draw!" The referee announced, both flags were held high into the air.

"How was a normal-type attack like that able to hurt my ghost-type?" Spade snapped. "That is impossible!"

Bugsy grinned, "Whenever a ghost-type like your Haunter is attacking, most of its ghost-type attributes fade for awhile. I guess I was lucky…"

Abby grinned, "One more Pokémon each…"


	8. The Heroes Victory!

"This battle will now resume as a one on one battle. Resume!" The referee announced while waving his flags through the air.

"Let's go, Scyther!" Bugsy called, tossing his Poké Ball into the air and revealing a green mantis shaped Pokémon with two blades as arms. "I doubt that you can beat my Scyther; we've been together for awhile now."

_What an idiot! I have the perfect Pokémon to destroy bug-types. _"Let's go, Monferno!" He threw his last Pokémon's ball into the air and out popped his strongest Pokémon: Monferno.

"Monferno!" It cried, ready to battle and destroy anything that it had to. It locked eyes with Scyther and an instant rivalry was formed.

"He has insulted you by saying that you cannot beat down his Pokémon, destroy him. Start with your Mach Punch!" Spade ordered, his finger pointing into the air dramatically.

Monferno disappeared for an instant and slammed his fist into Scyther who stepped back but stood strong. Scyther then turned and glared at Monferno who now seemed to have regrets from getting so close.

"Use your Fury Swipes!" Bugsy ordered quickly. Scyther lifted both of its scythes and began to slice at Monferno. Both were moving rapidly that the naked eye couldn't see any form of attack.

Monferno fell back in front of Spade but stood back up ready to continue his fight against the strong Scyther.

"Don't you let up! Use your Flamethrower!" Spade ordered; his passion for winning was as hot as his Pokémon's flame. Monferno leapt into the air and a flame emerged from his mouth. The flame raced for Scyther and soon engulfed the bug-type Pokémon.

The strong attack didn't seem to phase Bugsy; he simply continued with his battle, "Use your Razor Wind to get those flames off of you!"

Suddenly the flames were blasted away by the force of Scyther's attack as wind appeared at its sides and it dashed for Monferno. Scyther gained speed quickly and slashed for Monferno.

"Dodge that now!" Spade ordered quickly. Right as Monferno could feel the wind from Scyther's swift blade, he leapt into the air and looked down upon Scyther.

Bugsy was ready for anything that Spade could suddenly throw at him. "Use your Wing Attack!" He ordered fiercely. Scyther ducked and its wings lit up white before it crashed into Monferno causing both Pokémon to fall to the ground.

"You can do it Monferno!" Abby cheered from the sidelines. She felt a sudden liking for Spade's Pokémon.

"Not if I have anything to say about it! Scyther, get back up and use your Aerial Ace!" Bugsy commanded. Scyther struggled but stood back up and shot for Monferno.

"Get out of there, Monferno!" Spade yelled, not knowing a counter-attack for Bugsy's strategy. Before Monferno could move, Scyther connected directly and flung Monferno across the battlefield. Monferno hit a tree and landed onto the ground.

The referee watched closely before raising his flag, "Monferno is unable to-"

"Monferno!" Spade's Pokémon screamed. It stood from the ground, his tail blazing and eyes red."

The referee shook his head, "Resume!"

Spade quickly grabbed at his book and flipped at his bookmarked page, _This is Monferno's ability: Blaze. Whenever Monferno loses almost all health from the battle its power increases by a tremendous amount._

Spade grinned at his Pokémon's newfound ability. "Now destroy this Pokémon with your Flame Wheel!"

Monferno opened its mouth and flames engulfed his mouth before soon his whole body was a giant flame. He rolled in mid-air towards Scyther and both Pokémon clashed forcing both to fall back. Monferno struggled but soon stood back up and blasted fire out of his mouth from excitement. "Monferno!" It called.

The referee got a look at the downed Scyther and made his choice, "Scyther is now unable to continue! Your winner, the challenger: Jokix Terray!"

Bugsy returned his Pokémon and sighed before walking over to Spade with a badge in his hand. "You definitely gave me a run for my money. Thanks for such an awesome match! Here is your new Hive Badge." He then reached out and handed over a small badge with a lady-bug design on it.

Spade snatched it from his hand and frowned, "It was longer than my last gym match but you are definitely weaker. You need training." He then turned and returned his raging Monferno. "Maybe one day we can battle again." And with that, left the gym with Abby close behind.

"I thought he was a good gym leader. Why did you have to be so mean?" Abby questioned; she pushed the air towards Spade as though he needed to just "take it easy".

"So, what do we do now? It is getting close to night time and my Pokémon need their rest," He questioned, ignoring Abby's remarks.

Abby sighed, "Let's go to the Pokémon Center and tomorrow I have a contest."

Spade woke up in the Pokémon Center and took a quick look around. It was just how it was left the night before but this time Abby's bed was empty and made; a note was left on her bed. Spade wiped the sleep out of his eyes and stood up to read the note.

"Dear Spade, I decided not to wake you because I know you had a tiring day yesterday. I went ahead and went down to the contest hall. I'd appreciate it if you'd drop by the contest hall later on today and watch my contest. I know you're not really into that but… you know! Your Pokémon are already rested up so you can go get them from Nurse Joy. Mouh Mahn Taih, Abby Ling." Spade read aloud.

Spade worked his way downstairs to the lobby of the Pokémon Center where he received his Pokémon. He quickly left the Pokémon Center and walked around for fresh air.

_What does that girl think she's doing asking me to go to the contest hall. What a bunch of fruit loops,_ He thought. Suddenly something caught his eye; climbing what people knew as the Slowpoke Well came Free, Heather and two other trainers. One a girl with blond hair and a headband that two bells dangled from. She wore a red tank top along with a light blue skirt. The boy, who looked oddly a lot like the girl, had green hair and wore a pink jacket and green pants. Each member of their group circled around the boy who sat on a rock next to a Slowpoke.

"You heard that Team Rocket member say he was heading to Goldenrod, right?" The boy with green hair said. Spade's ears perked up as soon as he heard the words "Team Rocket".

Spade then made his way towards the group but tucked himself behind a bush to conceal himself from them.

"Free, Heather, would you guys like to come with my sister and me to stop Team Rocket from reuniting?" The green haired boy asked.

"Yes! But… we were hoping to take the gym challenge in Azalea," Free replied. "We're wanting to go the Silver Conference…"

"That's okay, I don't think they'll be doing anything for a few days, so we have a little time. We may have a few months for all we know. It'd be best for us to just keep an eye out for now," the boy with green hair replied.

"Yay! New friends!" The girl with blonde hair cheered while the boy with green hair smiled at her.

Before the group could get moving onward Spade darted from the bush so he wouldn't be noticed; he ran until he could no longer see the group. Once he stopped, he found himself in front of a building no bigger than a Pokémon Center with a giant poster on the front with a green ribbon that read "Pokémon Competition".

_This must be the contest hall. Maybe I should just check it out so then it'd be easier to get to Abby afterwards; then we can make our way to Goldenrod,_ Spade thought before opening the door and making his way to a doorway that had the words "Viewer Stands" above the door way. He entered a hallway where screams and cheers could be heard at the end.

"Abby makes a wonderful dodge utilizing her Bulbasaur's Vine Whip. That will definitely cost Justin points," an announcer screamed while Spade walked into the contest arena.

Abby was on the battlefield along with Sam, her Bulbasaur and another trainer who had a brown Pokémon that could be identified as a Sentret. At the end of the battlefield sat three judges and above them a screen with both of Abby's points along with Justin's and a timer in between the points declaring that there was only one minute left. It was clear that Abby's points were stacked compared to Justin's.

"Sentret, try your Quick Attack!" A tiny chubby boy with shaggy hair, now known to be Justin, ordered his Pokémon. Sentret darted towards Bulbasaur, a bright white streak followed.

Abby grinned, "Sam, let's finish this one off with your Petal Dance!" Before Sentret could get any closer, Sam released a plethora of pink leaves at the Pokémon in a beautiful fashion. Each leaf smacked against Sentret and sent it into the air; Sentret fell hard against the ground and it was clear that the battle was over.

The screen under the judges panel buzzed with a giant "X" that declared Sentret unable to continue. Abby had won her battle against the little chubby boy.

"We have our winner, Abby Ling from Pallet Town!" The announcer announced while Abby held her newly won ribbon high into the air. The crowd went nuts which puzzled Spade.

It wasn't long before Abby finished her duties backstage and met Spade in the front lobby.

"Didn't you think that I did great?" Abby questioned while holding up her new ribbon in Spade's face. Spade drew back two steps and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that I'm impressed with what I saw," he lied. "So, how many more of these contests do I have to watch?"

Abby reached into her bag and pulled out a slim silver case that popped open and revealed another ribbon. "Well, I've already won two ribbons, including the one I won today, so I guess that I have three more contests to win then the Johto Grand Festival! I already received another ribbon at the Violet Contest."

"That's cool I guess; can we get going now?" Spade asked impatiently.

**A/N So in this chapter we had our trainers both win their respective battles. Give it time and Abby's character will shine a little bit more. I'm trying to ease her way in it slowly. Next chapter we have another rival battle! Free vs Spade!**


	9. The Rival Emerges

Spade and Abby made their way out of the contest hall and Spade laid his eyes on the very person that made his skin curl: Free. "That's him," he mumbled.

"Who?" Abby wondered before Spade took off towards Free.

"Hey! Free!" Spade yelled with anger. The four trainers turned around to find Spade with a Poké Ball in his hand and his arm stretched out for battle.

"You still have my trainer card! I want it back!" Spade yelled.

"You're going to have to battle me for it," Free smirked. He then caught sight of Abby and a confused look became painted on his face. "Who-who is that?"

"Hi! My name is Abby! So you must be Free?" Abby greeted with a smile.

Heather smiled back, "I never imagined that Spade would have a traveling partner. How'd that happen?"

Abby opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted. "Abby, I'm about to battle. You can talk later." He then focused on Free. "I was prepared for this," Spade grinned wickedly and threw the Poké Ball in his hand. "Come on out, Machop!"

Free laughed at Spade's rudeness then pulled out a red object that seemingly gave Free information about Machop.

"A Machop, huh? Go, Wooper!" Free called while tossing his Poké Ball into the air.

A small blue Pokémon with two purple antennae on the sides of its head appeared. "Woopa!"

"Wooper, Headbutt Machop!" Free ordered. Wooper tilted his head slightly as if thinking and then lowered his head and charged at Machop.

"Dodge and Karate Chop it!" Spade told his Pokémon. Machop stepped to the side and hit the top of Wooper's head. It didn't affect him at all, other than accidentally turning Wooper's body straight into Machop. Wooper kept charging and hit Machop in the stomach. Machop flew backwards but got up quickly.

"Wooper, use Water Gun!" Free said. Wooper opened his mouth as wide as it would go and blasted a stream of water at Machop who was not suspecting it.

"Machop, use Low Kick!" Spade commanded after Machop shook the water off of himself.

Machop slid and kicked Wooper, knocking him off his feet. Wooper sat on the ground, stunned and wide-eyed, his mouth open in shock… and then, he yawned. Spade's Pokémon yawned back. He swayed a little bit before falling to the ground, asleep.

"Machop, return," Spade muttered harshly. _This will not go unpunished!_ "Go, Monferno!"

Free looked at Wooper who seemed to have put himself to sleep with his yawn and sighed. "Come on back, Wooper!" Free said, holding out Wooper's Poké Ball. "Go, Quilava!"

"Qui…" Quilava said, pawing at the ground, eager for battle.

"Monferno, use Mach Punch!" Spade ordered. Monferno quickly threw a punch, hitting Quilava in the jaw. Quilava got up off of the ground, shaking some dirt off with fire in his eyes.

"Quilava, use Flame Wheel!" Free commanded. Quilava quickly rolled into a ball while covering himself with flames and rolled at Monferno at full speed. Monferno took heavy damage, but got back up. Before Monferno could attack, Quilava unrolled to change direction and rolled again at Monferno, knocking him into the ground. Dirt flew everywhere from Quilava's attack, clouding the battlefield.

"Monferno! Dig!" Spade called through the dust. When everything cleared, Monferno was deep underground.

"Quilava, blast fire down into the hole," Free ordered. Quilava ran to the whole and let the flames roar from his mouth. Monferno quickly surfaced, quickly digging his way out of the flames that followed him up out of the hole.

"I believe you can do it Spade!" Abby cheered.

Spade glared at her, "Monferno use a Flamethrower!" While Monferno was still in the air, it released flames from its mouth. The flames connected with Quilava directly and sent Quilava into a retreat.

"Remember that this is Quilava's second match today," The blonde girl reminded Free from the sidelines.

Abby nodded, "You should remember that Monferno is still pretty tired from its match from yesterday."

"I know Monferno can't be THAT tired. Monferno, try your Flame Wheel," Spade ordered, disregarding Abby's warnings.

"We'll go ahead and respond with our own Flame Wheel! You can do it Quilava!" Free called.

"Monferno!" Spade's Pokémon called out while flames emerged from its mouth and it curled into a ball to be thrown into Quilava.

Quilava's back lit up and it was soon a giant flame that was rolling for Monferno. "Quilava!" It called out while rolling; its fighting spirit burned almost as hot as its flame. Both Pokémon connected, their flames blazing and smoke arising from the connection. Soon an explosion from the connection blew up in the middle of their battle and both Pokémon were flung back to the feet of their trainers, unconscious.

Spade spat at the ground and held out a Poké Ball. "Return, Monferno."

Free smiled and returned his Pokémon. "I guess that means no trainer card, eh?"

"I will get it back," Spade glared at Free. He turned in disgust and ran away, Abby not far behind.

When Spade noticed that Free and his group were out of sight he sat down next to a few rocks and sighed, "A draw… not good enough!"

"So, that Free guy definitely kept you on the ropes, eh?" Abby questioned while sitting down next to him. "It was an awesome battle, Spade."

"But I wasn't good enough! I need to keep getting better and until Free is an easy battle, I will not let up!" Spade yelled in anger. "I can't stand losing to him!"

"You should take in the fact that it was a great battle," a familiar voice told Spade from behind. Spade turned and noticed the Poké Ball Master, Kurt, behind them. "I think that it was an excellent battle and you have no reason to feel ashamed. I can sense a great amount of talent in you and I know you are strong."

Spade glared at him, "What do you know? You're only a Poké Ball maker!"

Kurt smiled a soft smile and his Shuckle climbed onto his shoulder and he patted its head, "You don't always have to be a trainer to know who has great potential and who does not. I'd like to give you something." He then reached into a small bag that was strapped onto his belt and pulled out a different assortment of Poké Balls. He handed them over to Spade who had a confused look on his face.

"Thank you, mister! We'll use them to our best abilities!" Abby thanked while forcing Spade's head down into a bow.

Kurt smiled and turned, "If you are ever in need of Poké Balls then contact me and I'll see what I can do. Now that I'm an older man I'm not contacted as much for my Poké Balls. I'd love to see what I could do for you." He then began to walk away and soon disappeared back into his house.

Spade grabbed ahold of the Poké Ball bag and tucked it away into his baggy pockets.

"So, what do we do now?" Abby questioned before looking at her map. "We could go to Goldenrod for your next gym. To do that we need to go through Ilex Forest."

Spade stood up and began to walk towards the entrance of the forest before a girl stopped them by standing in front of them. She looked a few years older that Spade with brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. She wore a black blouse with white jeans and was topped of with a black baseball cap.

"Can I help you?" Spade asked rudely. He pulled out a Poké Ball, ready to battle if needed.

The girl had a smile on her face and was soon joined by another trainer: this one a boy. He looked the same age as Spade and wore a red shirt along with black shorts and brown short hair.

"I saw your battle with that boy's Quilava. I was wondering if I could go ahead and get a battle from you?" She questioned with a smile.

Abby laughed, "Way to be straight out about what you want."

The boy smiled and scratched the back of his head, "My name is Alex and this is Juno. Your battle was awesome by the way."

"It could've gone better," Spade retorted while he spit at the ground. "Which one of you wants to battle me?"

Juno stepped up, "How about a double battle between you and me?"

"How about you?" Abby asked Alex with an inviting smile.

Alex shook his head and laughed, "Nah, I'm more into watching the battle and examining Pokémon ya know?"

"And with that, let's begin!" Juno called while tossing two Poké Balls into the air. "Let's go Zeus and Daphne!" A fat blue crocodile Pokémon popped out of one the Poké Balls while a green reptilian Pokémon emerged from the other.

Abby walked next to Alex so they could both observe the battle. "So, she's using a Croconaw and Grovyle?" She questioned while sitting on a nearby rock.

Alex sat down next to her, "She also owns a Charmeleon and Quilava but I'm thinking they wouldn't be very balanced in a double battle."

"I'll go with Machop and Haunter!" Spade cried while tossing both of his Poké Balls into the air. His grey Machop and purple Haunter appeared out of their balls ready to fight. "Machop, Low Sweep Grovyle and Haunter, Thunderbolt Croconaw!"

Machop darted for Grovyle, his leg ready to sweep the grass-type off of its feet while Haunter released electricity from its ghost-like coat straight for Croconaw.

"Oh no!" Juno screamed as both attacks raced for her Pokémon. "Daphne dodge and Zeus fight back with your Water Gun!"

Juno's Grovyle leapt into the air while her Croconaw blasted water from its mouth to try to fend off the electricity. One could tell that this would be an intense battle.

**A/N Here is our Christmas Present to you. We're posting Chapters! A Christmas Special, Free and Heather's, and a Spade chapter! We're sorry about Azul's story for any of you that enjoy that story but we plan to post a chapter within the next few days. Enjoy these few chapters from Free and Heather! Make sure to check out our very corny Christmas Special!**


	10. The Double Battle

Daphne leapt over Machop's feet while performing a summersault. It landed behind Machop and gave it a glare. The result of Zeus's defenses were different; Thunderbolt and Water Gun struck together but Haunter's attack was too strong and Abby's Croconaw felt the full force of an electric attack. Zeus fell to the ground but mustered up enough strength to get back up.

"Good job, Zeus! Daphne, Leaf Blade and Croconaw use your Aqua Tail!" Juno ordered. There was no way that she would let one attack beat her.

"Defend yourself with a Karate Chop and fight back with a Shadow Punch!" Spade quickly retorted. _I wonder if both of my Pokémon are ready for such strong opponents? Maybe, I should've put in Monferno…_

The leaf on the Grovyle's arm lit up and the grass-type swung its arm for Machop while Machop smacked his rough hand into Grovyle. Both attacks bounced off of each other and the Pokémon retreated a few feet to give themselves some distance.

Zeus's tail turned a blue-ish color before water began to swirl around it, giving its tail a whirlpool effect. Zeus swung its tail while Haunter jabbed its ghostly hand at the big jaw Pokemon. Just like before, the attacks connected and a slight explosion emerged. Both Pokémon were flung back but both stood strong.

"They really aren't getting anywhere if any of this continues," Alex stated while grabbing ahold of his chin. "If they only keep up their defenses then what else do they have?"

Abby smiled, "So, are you an actual Pokémon trainer?"

Alex grinned, "I'm more into the research field. I do however own a Gastly. In fact, we were just training my Gastly before we saw your buddy in battle."

"Use your Tackle attack!" Juno ordered toward her Croconaw. "We can't go losing this battle!"

"Croconaw!" It growled before darting for Machop.

Spade grinned, "What a stupid move! Machop, hold onto Croconaw whenever it gets close enough and Haunter, use your Thunderbolt!"

As soon as Zeus breathed the same air as Machop, the fighting Pokémon grabbed ahold and refused to let go. Haunter then released sparks from her body and shocked both Zeus and Machop. Machop let go of Zeus and Juno's Pokémon stumbled.

"Regain your composure and use your Seismic Toss!" Spade ordered while Zeus was dizzy.

Juno had a quick response herself, "Daphne, get in there and use a close ranged Bullet Seed to help out Zeus!"

Daphne nodded and dashed for Machop while Spade's Pokémon grabbed ahold of Zeus. Machop lifted Zeus into the air and did a flip but before he could connect with the ground, Grovyle released a plethora of golden seeds from its mouth. The seeds connected with both airborne Pokémon and they flew higher. Machop and Zeus crashed into the ground, both unable to continue.

Spade spat on the ground and returned Machop back into his Poké Ball. "That was quick thinking on your part. Your Grovyle is pretty good but I doubt that it will stand a chance against my Haunter."

"We'll just have to see about that!" Juno retorted; her fighting spirit shown through her eyes.

"I like your drive! Haunter, use your Night Shade!" Spade ordered while pointing at Juno's Pokémon dramatically. Haunter's ghostly hands began to glow a pink and the energy from Daphne seemed to have started to drain from its body.

Juno's eyes went from determined to desperate, "Daphne, use your Mega Drain! Fight back with all that you got!" Grovyle struggled but was able to point its arm towards Haunter and a green energy emerged that connected with Spade's Pokémon. The energy seemed to start to sap the energy from Haunter but both Pokémon were definitely worn.

"Whoever gets the next blow will most likely win this battle," Alex commented with a big smile. "This has been one heck of a battle… just what Juno needed."

"Haunter, use your Shadow Punch!"

"I don't think so! Grovyle, Leaf Blade now!"

Haunter's hands went from pink to shadowy before she thrust it towards Daphne who darted for Haunter to get in close range. Daphne sliced at Haunter while Haunter's fist connected in Daphne's abdomen. Both Pokémon were flung back and finished.

Juno took a deep breath before returning her Pokémon, "That was an awesome battle… uh… I never got your name."

Spade returned Haunter and scowled, "I can't say that I'm happy with the results. My name is Spade…"

Abby stood up from her rock, "And my name is Abby. I'm sorry but we do have to be off."

"I was just about to say the same thing," Alex told her while standing up from the same rock. "We have a little bit more studying to do in Azalea."

"Yeah, maybe we'll see you two again some other time! Maybe then we can have another battle?" Juno suggested while extending her hand for Spade to shake.

Spade took a close look at her hand then grasped it, "I'll accept your challenge but next time I refuse to lose. I wish for you the best…"

Juno and Alex both smiled a big smile; they knew that they got something from Spade without really knowing the boy. Both of the trainers turned and walked off towards the Slowpoke Well.

"Now we can finally get a move on. Let's hurry and get through the Ilex Forest," Spade barked. He turned and walked into the entrance of the forest. "You better keep up."

"Mouh Mahn Taih," Abby said with a smile before following Spade into the forest.

Both trainers walked awhile without saying a word in the forest that continuously got darker.

"Do you think that maybe we should camp soon? It is getting pretty dark," Abby suggested. She didn't seem to enjoy how cold it was getting; one could tell because she had her arms crossed as if she was trying to warm up.

Spade turned and glared and opened his mouth to retort but something caught his eye. Behind Abby, a small green Pokémon with small white leaves floated. The Pokémon looked as if it was some sort of fairy.

"What is that?" Spade questioned while pointing at the Pokémon. He's never seen anything like it.

Abby turned but the instant that she did the Pokémon suddenly disappeared. She looked around a bit then turned towards Spade and gave him a stupid look, "Maybe you're just seeing things?"

"I guess so…" Spade sighed, "How about we pack up for the night and go to sleep? I think I'm too tired to go on anyways."

Abby grabbed her bag and put it on the ground, "You go ahead and get ready! I think that with your big strong muscles you'd be better at putting everything up. I hear a river so I think I'm going to go wash my face real quick. Be back in a jiffy!" She then ran away from Spade before he could scream at her.

She soon found the river that she heard and sat on a rock before looking into the water. "Maybe he saw Celebi… It's weird though, Celebi never shows itself to people as mean as Spade." She shrugged then splashed some water on her face.

"Swee! Swee!" A voice cried out in the distance.

Abby looked up from the water and noticed two small brown Pokémon playing with each other. Both Pokémon were recognized as Eevee. "They're so cute!" She squealed before running over to the both of them. One of the Eevee caught sight of her and began to cuddle her feet.

"Swee," It cooed quietly. While Abby leaned down and began to pet it. The other Eevee danced around Abby then slightly tackled her.

"I think that Spade would like you. But you," She said to the Eevee that cuddled her. "I'm keeping you! Is that alright?" She picked up the Eevee in her arms and it nuzzled against her. "I think I'll go ahead and name you, Nika!" She pulled a Poké Ball from her belt and knocked it lightly against Eevee. The ball opened up and absorbed the small Pokémon. "That adds to our little set of friends!"

Back at the camp sight, Spade sat with all of his Pokémon out in front of him. "I don't like the fact that we lost but I'm going to deal with it. It only means that we need harder training!" Each of his Pokémon nodded in unison before Abby revealed herself from the trees

"Hey Spade, look what I found!" She announced loudly while picking up the ornery Eevee and making sure that Spade could see it. "Do you want it?" She put it down in front of Spade who glared at it.

"What would I want with it? Why don't you just take it?" He suggested while going through his evolution book and ignoring the Pokémon.

Abby kicked him slightly in the shin, "There were two so I already got one. You do know that Eevee are super rare right? They can also evolve into many different forms."

Spade looked at Eevee before it jumped onto his lap. It slightly bit his hand and gave him a mischievous grin. Spade flipped through his book until he found Eevee. He looked around and noticed the many forms that come from Eevee. "I guess that I'll take the little fur ball… Maybe it'll become useful."

Abby glared at him, "No! You welcome your new Pokémon. They're not tools for battling ya know?"

"I know they're not tools but that doesn't mean that I have to accept every Pokémon I capture as a useful Pokémon. I'm atleast giving this Eevee a chance," Spade explained before putting his book back into his bag and laying back.

Abby knelt down next to the Eevee and smiled, "Do you want to go with Spade? He's a pretty strong battler."

"Swee!" It said happily. It shook its tail happily while Spade reached into his pocket and pulled out his new Poké Balls.

He looked at the different tags and one certain ball stuck out to him. "The Fast Ball captures Pokémon with great speed or the ability to run away. I don't want to take the chance so…" He then smacked the Fast Ball against the Eevee and it was quickly captured.

Spade grinned, "It's nice whenever they don't put up a fight…"

Abby snorted and laid down. "I can't believe you…"

"Mis-Misdreavus," A Pokémon cooed quietly in the forest while watching the trainers and their Pokémon sleep.

**A/N A HUGE thanks towards** **KittyKamando for the O.C.'s of Juno and Alex. They will be making a few more appearances in the story but I'd like to know how much more often you'd like to see them. Be honest. They will definitly be in it atleast one more time.**

**Thank You KittyKamando! **

**JohtoBlue**


	11. The Goldenrod Sights!

"It is nice that traveling through the forest didn't take that long," Abby commented while they entered Goldenrod City.

Spade scowled, "We made it through so fast because you refused to look around. I wanted to capture as many strong Pokémon as I could." He said before he spat on the ground.

"The easier and faster the better, right?" Abby reminded him. "Now we can have fun in Goldenrod!"

"What is there to do here? I'm really not interested if it's just another Azalea; I'd like to get the gym done and over with then leave." Spade snapped.

Abby reached into her bag and pulled out a guidebook. "Well, there is a mall that we can go to. They sell a lot of trainer supplies. There is also the radio tower."

"If I remember correctly, Team Rocket will be attacking there soon," Spade recalled. "I think that we should go to the mall then the radio tower. I want to find a few things."

"Alright, I wanted to go to the mall anyways. Let's go!" Abby called out happily while following the map on her guidebook towards the mall.

It wasn't long before Spade and Abby entered the mall and started to snoop around. Spade seemed a little bit snoopier than Abby did herself.

"So, are you looking for anything in particular?" Abby questioned while looking at the mall's map. "So many maps…"

Spade frowned, thinking, then gave his explanation, "I know that they sell evolutionary stones here. If I can find and purchase all of the stones then I can evolve that Eevee."

"You're already going to evolve Eevee? You're not even going to get to know the little guy?" Abby questioned.

"If you're looking for stones, then I'm the right gal!" A loud girl's voice called from behind Spade. It was a store clerk with a typical clerk smile. "Fire, Thunder, Water, or Leaf?"

Spade reached into his pocket and pulled out his money bag and the evolutionary book. He flipped through the book and glanced at the Eevee section once more. "I will go ahead and purchase the Fire, Thunder, and Water. They each will become useful eventually."

"That'll be come out to 4200. You've saved 2100 because of today's buy two get one free deal. Anything else I can help you with?" The girl informed Spade while they exchanged the money for the product.

Spade sighed, "I'm good. I'm going to go ahead and leave now." Spade and Abby quickly left the store and found a bench outside.

"So, where'd you get all of that money from?" Abby asked as she slurped down a lemonade that she forced Spade to buy for her.

"Let's just say that my older brother had a lot of throw around money to give me whenever I needed it. I saved a lot of it over the years," He explained. He then grabbed at his new Pokémon's Poké Ball and released it. The fluffy, brown Pokémon emerged with a mischievous smile.

"You're going to evolve it already?" Abby asked with an alarming tone. "You're not going to wait to get to know your Eevee?" She couldn't help but repeat what she said before.

Spade ignored her comment and pulled the evolution book out of his pocket. "Okay, so with these three stones I could get a Flareon, Jolteon or Vaporeon. I don't know which one I should do."

"Why don't you let Eevee decide? Any choice would be excellent," Abby said with a smile, clearly trying to make light of the situation.

"What if it doesn't choose the right stone?" Spade pulled each of the stones out of his pocket and put them on the table. "I want my Pokémon to be the strongest that they can be."

"Only your Pokémon know how to be their strongest. Put some faith in your Eevee," Abby said with a smile while petting Spade's Eevee before it tried to nip at her hand.

Spade took a deep breath and sat back, "Fine… Eevee can pick."

"Swee!" Eevee called out while jumping onto the fire stone. It began to paw at it before glowing white and taking another shape. The newly formed Pokémon was much larger than Eevee and had a fire-like fur that blew with the wind.

"Flare-Flareon!" The new Pokémon called out.

"Oh, he is so cute!" Abby squealed before grabbing Flareon and giving it a hug. "You see! Eevee picked the perfect stone!"

Spade scooped up the other stones and placed them into his bag. "I guess that another fire-type could come in handy. Now that we've done this, let's get going to the Radio Tower to investigate Team Rocket's next movements."

"What exactly makes you think they will be at the Radio Tower anytime soon?" Abby asked before standing and walking with Spade towards the Radio Tower.

"I've overheard a few things from people," Spade told her; he was still trying to conceal the fact that he knew a lot of Team Rocket's plans.

"Whenever you were battling Free, his friend Deka told me that they were planning a heist at the Radio Tower," Abby said with a smile before they found themselves in front of the black Radio Tower. "It definitely doesn't look like it's being attacked…"

Spade frowned, "Do you honestly think that we'd show up at the most convenient of times? Most likely they won't attack for awhile."

"So, are we just going to stay here until they attack the tower?" Abby questioned. A look of stress formed on her face.

"Of course not. We have things that we have to do. And while I would love to wait, we have a lot of traveling to do," Spade retorted. "I have to keep up with Free."

"Is that so?" A voice asked from behind. Spade and Abby turned to find an old man with grey messed up hair. He wore a lab coat a top of grey slacks and a purple shirt. "It has been awhile Abby."

"Professor Oak!" Abby squealed before running towards the professor. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Professor Oak?" Spade wondered. _This is the guy that studies the relationships of Pokémon and humans._

"Yes Abby, how is your Bulbasaur?" Professor Oak asked with a smile.

Abby smiled and patted his back. "Sam is doing awesome! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for my radio show, but that won't be for awhile," He explained before fixing his eyes on Spade. "So, I hear that you are going to be traveling? I take it that you're a Pokémon trainer?"

Spade nodded but didn't say a word thinking that he may be in trouble. He did after all steal a Pokémon from another Professor.

"Spade is a pretty good trainer. A little rough around the edges, but nonetheless, he has a lot of potential," Abby informed Professor Oak. She lifted Flareon off the ground, "This is his newest team member."

Oak nodded, "Yes, I can sense great potential in you. I also heard the name Free. Are you friends with that boy?"

"I don't think so. We're more of rivals than anything else," Spade replied. The thought of Free made him want to choke himself.

Oak grabbed into his lab coat and pulled out a golden squared object. "I gave one of these to Free awhile back. It is called a Pokédex and I'm looking for young travelers to take it and collect as much data as possible for me."

"I think I can recall Free pulling out a red object like that. It helped him in our battle," Spade remembered.

"Would you be willing to take this and collect all of the data that you can for me? Free has been scanning a lot of Pokémon from what I've seen but hasn't been collecting much," Professor Oak explained while handing the Pokédex over.

Spade stared at the golden object. "I'm sorry but… I really can't take that from you." _I've already taken enough from you professors! My guilt level can only take so much!_

"Is that so…" Professor Oak said with a disappointed look on his face. "It looks like Free will be getting ahead of you then on all the information that you can get. That'll probably give him the advantage if you think about it."

Abby grinned knowing what the professor was doing.

Spade glared, "Alright! I'll take it…" He snatched away the Pokédex and tucked it into his pocket.

"Spade…" Oak murmured before they locked their eyes. "I can sense your potential but I can also sense a great deal of sadness. Don't let your past get in the way of your future and don't leave your friends. Your Pokémon will always be there. I want you to know that."

Spade nodded slowly, "Thank you sir… now if you excuse me, I have a gym battle." He then walked past Professor Oak and made his way for the gym.

Abby bowed her head, "We'll see you later professor! You take care!" She then chased after Spade.

Professor Oak smiled, "These young trainers get more and more complicated every year. Seeing Spade's eyes reminds me of Verde's eyes after−"

"Sir, we have to hurry!" A voice called from the doorstep. "Remember your show starts earlier today?"

**A/N Hey, how's it going everyone? If you'd like to then you should go and check out our first ever "movie" special. We'd really appreciate if you'd check out this story for us and tell us what you think.**

**As always, much love. Johto Blue**


	12. The BugCapturing Contest

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Spade screamed when he failed to open the gym doors.

Abby yawned. "So it looks like we can try some other things now. I doubt that you'll be having a gym match and I really don't want to wait here…"

"I guess that I can get some training in then," Spade suggested to himself. "Do you know of any good training places in Goldenrod? There is bound to be somewhere that I can battle."

Abby pulled her guidebook out of her bag and flipped to the Goldenrod area. "It looks like today they're holding a bug-catching contest that we can take apart in. It'd allow for the both of us to train." She then turned and began to follow the map towards the contest. Spade was close behind, how to get stronger on his mind.

Both trainers walked into a small building that had a bare lobby. There were two other trainers and a woman who was flipping through a magazine at the counter.

"Welcome to the bug catching contest! Are you both going to be competing or just watching the event?" A chubby man wearing striped pants and overalls asked with a smile. He seemed to have come out of nowhere.

Abby grinned. "We're both going to enter! Can't wait to capture me some bug Pokémon!"

The man motioned for both of the trainers to follow him and he led them to the counter with the older looking lady behind the desk. "You each can use one Pokémon. You'll be given a Park Ball and you'll attempt to capture a Pokémon with it. The person with the best bug Pokémon wins the contest."

"I'm going to be registering my Pokémon Pinki Pie!" Abby announced while handing the rest of her Poké Balls over.

_That is a stupid name!_ Spade screamed in his head. "I guess I'll be using my Flareon since it's a fire type."

The lady behind the counter handed over a Park Ball to each of the two trainers and led them to the capture area without a word. She then went back to the counter and continued to read through one of her beauty magazines.

"Let's go, Pinki!" Abby called while throwing her Poké Ball into the air. From the Poké Ball emerged a horse-like Pokémon with fire that ran down its back. "Meet Pinki Pie, my Ponyta!"

Spade grabbed into his pocket and pulled out the golden Pokédex that he received from Professor Oak. "Ponyta, the Fire Horse Pokémon. It is a weak runner immediately after birth. It gradually becomes faster by chasing after its parents."

"I'm going to go now and capture a Pokémon. Good luck, Abby," Spade snorted before turning to run away deeper into the capture area. Before he could get too far he could hear a galloping noise and turned to find Abby chasing after him on her Ponyta.

"Why don't we go together? It'd be a lot easier if we could work like a team, ya know?" Abby suggested.

Spade sighed. "Whatever…" Suddenly from the air a spider Pokémon dropped in front of Spade. "What is that?" Spade then pulled the Pokédex out once more to scan the new Pokémon.

"Spinarak, the String Spit Pokémon. It lies still in the same pose for days in its web, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to wander close." The Pokédex read before Spade closed the Pokédex and grinned.

"D-do you think that we're the unsuspecting prey?" Abby asked while backing up.

Spade tossed a Poké Ball into the air, ignoring Abby's question. "Let's go, Flareon!" Flareon emerged and growled at Spinarak. "Use your Fire Spin!" Flareon opened his mouth and flames bellowed from it. The flames swirled in a dazzling fashion before encircling Spinarak and causing the Pokémon to fly back.

"Flare!" His Pokémon cried out happily.

Spade nodded. "We're not going to give it a chance. Use your Quick Attack!" In the blink of an eye, Flareon darted off and tackled Spinarak. Spinarak fell back more and struggled to even move its tiny body.

Before the Spinarak could react and get back up Spade threw the green Park Ball and it connected directly, absorbing Spinarak and beginning a rocking motion.

"You gave it no chance to battle. How do you know if it'll be any good? Aren't you that kind of trainer?" Abby wondered aloud.

Spade shook his head. "One thing that I've learned throughout my journey is that it isn't all about power. Bug-type Pokémon are Pokémon that you have to use your head and I figured that is something that I need to learn to do."

The Park Ball then let out a soft ding to inform Spade of his successful capture. Spade tucked the Poké Ball away into his pocket.

"I guess that you're right. Good for you Spade!" Abby applauded, now getting off of her Ponyta. A rustling noise in the bushes caused both trainers to stop in their tracks before a hairy and purple Pokémon appeared. The Pokémon had a distraught look on its face as though it was looking for something.

Spade reached once more for the Pokédex. "Venonat, the Insect Pokémon. Its eyes also function as radar units. It catches and eats small bugs that hide in darkness."

"It is adorable! I'm going to capture it!" Abby declared while pointing at Venonat. "Pinki Pie, use your Stomp!" Abby's Ponyta began a quick run for Venonat before jumping in the air, ready to stomp the daylights out of Venonat.

Before Ponyta could reach, Venonat released a multicolored beam from its eyes. The beam connected directly and sent Ponyta flying back towards Abby. Pinki Pie landed hard on the ground but stood back up, still prepared to fight hard for its trainer.

Abby smiled, "That was a Psybeam! Let's not let it get us again! This time use your Fire Spin just like Flareon did!" Ponyta opened its mouth and released spiraling flames towards Venonat. The flames engulfed the small Pokémon and once they were gone the Pokémon was on the ground out cold.

"That was a pretty strong Fire Spin," Spade complimented. "I guess that my goal is to have my Fire Spin be much stronger than that."

His Flareon nodded and grinned mischievously. "Flare!"

Abby grabbed ahold of her Park Ball and threw it at the grounded Venonat. "Go, Park Ball!" The ball connected directly and Venonat was absorbed into it. The ball rocked for a bit before letting out the ding. It was a successful capture.

"So, what is it?" Spade questioned with a disgusted look on his face.

Abby gave Spade a puzzling look. "What do you mean?"

"What are you going to be naming it? You always give them those stupid nicknames. What is it going to be?" Spade explained before giving Abby an evil glare.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I'm going to name my new Venonat… Bing!" She announced while looking at her Poké Ball as if her life relied on it.

_That is so stupid! Nicknaming your Pokémon is no serious matter! _Spade screamed in his head. It gave him a headache to think of an act where you nickname your Pokémon.

"What do you think of that nickname?" Abby questioned. She had a desperate look in her eyes.

Spade cleared his throat. "I guess it is alright." He had to lie, knowing that Abby was emotional.

Before Abby could reply an announcement rang throughout the capture area. "Attention trainers. Due to the lack of entrants in today's bug-catching competition, we have decided to end it sooner. If all trainers would go back to the entrance to have their Pokémon analyzed that would be greatly appreciated."

"That was short lived…" Abby mumbled. "We might as well get a move on."

Spade and Abby entered the lobby where the only two other participates stood. Each of the trainers placed their Poké Balls into a machine which scanned their strengths.

The chubby man with striped pants stood at a podium and smiled. "We have our rankings. In third place with his Spinarak is, Jokix, second place with her Kricketot is. Danielle and in first place with her Venonat is, Abby."

Spade glared at Abby who leapt into the air with joy. She then fixed all of her undying attention on the man.

"You all do get to keep your Pokémon, third and fourth place receives a commemorative Park Ball while second place receives an assortment of different berries. First place receives a choice between a King's Rock or a skateboard from our local Goldenrod Shop," he explained. He motioned towards both items that Abby could pick from.

Abby ran to the both of them and grinned. She put her finger to her lip and thought about it for awhile.

Spade glared. "Will you just pick already?" He screamed. He was angry about the fact that he came in third of only four entries.

"I'm going to go with the skateboard!" Abby announced. She could only laugh at how angry Spade was getting.

"Why the skateboard?" Spade mumbled.

The man handed over the skateboard and smiled. "That means in a few days we'll hand out the King's Rock to the next winner. You enjoy riding that skateboard."

"Here are your Park Balls. Have fun with your new Pokémon." A lady with a big smile told Spade and Abby while handing over the Park Balls. It was as though everyone who ran this competition was just weird.

Abby nodded then left the lobby, Spade not far behind. "I can't believe that I actually won!"

"I can't believe that you of all people picked the skateboard," Spade snapped before sticking his new Poké Ball into his pocket. "Why did you pick the skateboard?"

Abby grinned then put it in Spade's arms. "It is for you silly! I know you've been working really hard and maybe if you skate for awhile you can relax."

"I guess that's true but I really don't want this," Spade responded while trying to give it back but Abby refused.

"We can now get around faster. You have your skateboard and I have Pinki to ride on. It'll be more fun like this," Abby explained.

"I guess it would be wise to try get around faster. I have no choice but to take it," Spade mumbled. "Thank you…"

A quick, shocked expression grew upon Abby's face. "You did NOT just say that!"


	13. The Incredibly Pretty Girl!

Spade woke up in the Pokémon Center and looked around a little bit dazed. _Today is the day. Today I win my third gym badge. _He lifted himself off of his bed and grabbed his clothes to get changed in the bathroom. Once he was done getting ready, he left the Pokémon Center to get a few breaths of fresh air and have a quick talk with his Pokémon.

"Today we have our third battle, and I'd like to make it a good one. I'd also like to introduce Flareon and Spinarak to you guys," Spade said, introducing his newer Pokémon to the group. Monferno and Machop grinned at the newer Pokémon as if they were just some sort of fresh meat. Haunter danced around them happily. Spinarak looked around with a clueless expression on his face while Flareon attempted to catch the dancing Haunter.

The Pokémon Center doors opened and Abby emerged yawning and blindly walking towards Spade. "Why did we have to get up so early? I could've slept for like …a lot longer."

"First off, I didn't ask you to wake up, you did that by yourself. And I have to get up because I need to figure out a strategy for the gym leader. I now have five different Pokémon to choose from," Spade explained.

"I think you should go with Spinarak first then see what happens. There is no telling what the battle will be like. All I know is that the gym leader is famous for her excellent, normal-type performances," Abby explained while Spade moved closer to the gym. He was more impatient than ever to get a move on.

Spade walked through the gym doors, taking a breath of relief that this time they actually opened. He locked eyes with a girl that had bright pink, curly hair. She wore a plain-looking shirt and short shorts.

"Are you here to challenge my gym?" She asked while standing up from her chair and smiling invitingly. "My name is Whitney, and I'm the gym leader here!"

Spade pulled out a Poké Ball, "My name is Jokix Terray. Enough with the formalities. Let's just get this started."

"I like it. This will be a three-on-three Pokémon battle, got it?" Whitney explained while pulling out her own Poké Ball. "Let's go Clefairy!" Out from the Poké Ball emerged a small pink Pokémon with tiny wings.

Spade reached for his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon to try to give him an edge. "The moonlight that it stores in the wings on its back apparently gives it the ability to float in midair," the Pokédex read aloud.

"That doesn't give me much to go on. I'll go with Spinarak!" Spade announced while throwing his Park Ball into the air, letting his newest Pokémon appear.

Suddenly from Abby's pocket, Venonat emerged and fixed her attention directly on Spinarak.

Abby sighed, "You can't just go letting yourself out of your Poké Ball like that."

Spade shook his head and ignored the outside distractions. "Spinarak, use your String Shot!" Spinarak jumped forward quickly and released a fast sticky string from his mouth towards Clefairy. None of the strings could come in contact though. Clefairy easily maneuvered around them.

"It's going to take a lot more than a simple String Shot to bring down my dear little Clefairy!" Whitney taunted, but before she could come up with a counterattack, Spade had already readied his next move.

"Poison Sting now!" He ordered roughly. Spinarak then released small needles from his mouth at the unsuspecting Clefairy. The needles connected directly and Clefairy tumbled towards Whitney.

Whitney's smile quickly faded and she grabbed ahold of Clefairy. "Oh, poor Clefairy! I'm going to withdraw Clefairy's entry; Spinarak wins this round." She then returned her Pokémon and locked eyes with Spade once more who was now holding a dumbfounded expression.

"Why would you do that?" Spade questioned, anger in his voice.

Whitney smiled and pulled out another Poké Ball. "You have to know your Pokémon and their limits. My Clefairy was clearly poisoned, and I didn't want to make her suffer," she explained with her usual inviting smile. "Now go, Nidorina!"

"Nido!" Her newly selected Pokémon cried out.

"When feeding its young, it first chews and tenderizes the food, then spits it out for the offspring," the Pokédex read aloud once more. Spade put his palm to his forehead and sighed.

"Nidorina, use your Double Kick!" Whitney ordered; it was about time that she got serious. Nidorina jumped into the air and began to thrust her legs towards Spinarak.

Spade scowled. "Use your String Shot and stop that attack!" Spinarak released more strings from his mouth that wrapped around Nidorina's legs and stopped it completely from moving.

Abby's Venonat jumped into the air repeatedly to cheer on Spinarak.

"You're a little cheerleader, aren't you, Bing?" Abby laughed while clapping.

"Now throw Nidorina!" Spade commanded while pointing into the air. Spinarak did just that, pulling onto Nidorina and throwing her into the air. Nidorina landed hard on the ground with a _thud_. Nidorina's battle was over.

Whitney returned her Nidorina and sighed, "You did your best. Now I have to use my last Pokémon…"

Spade laughed, "I can't believe how easy this battle is. I shouldn't have told Bugsy he was a terrible Gym Leader. You, by far, are the worst."

Whitney simply smiled and threw her last Poké Ball into the air. From the ball emerged a big, pink, cow-like Pokémon.

Spade pointed his Pokédex at it and scanned it. "Miltank, the Milk Cow Pokémon. Its milk is packed with nutrition, making it the ultimate beverage for the sick or weary."

"So, Miltank will be able to heal my Pokémon! How sweet of you," Spade taunted. "Spinarak use your String Shot now!" Spinarak blasted yet again more string from its mouth towards Miltank.

"Use your Rollout!" Whitney ordered quickly. She clearly had a plan figured out. Before the strings could connect with Miltank, it began a quick roll that destroyed the strings completely. It continued rolling towards Spinarak and smacked into the small Pokémon. Spinarak flew back to Spade and landed in front of him, unable to continue.

Spade's eyes widened and he stood in shock. "W-where did that come from?" He slowly returned his Pokémon and pulled out another Poké Ball.

Bing held its head low and smacked Abby's Poké Ball. She was then absorbed completely and disappeared.

"I wonder what that was all about?" Abby questioned quietly.

_If I'm fighting a normal-type, then my Machop would be my best bet_, Spade thought before throwing out his Poké Ball. Machop appeared, prepared to battle.

"So, you think that battling me with a fighting-type will work? I'll show you that type match-ups aren't everything," Whitney told Spade with another inviting smile. "Miltank, keep doing your Rollout!" Miltank did as told and continued to roll towards Machop.

"Stand your ground! Hold back Miltank with all you got!" Spade ordered. Machop stomped his feet into the ground to try to stop any movement from Miltank. Miltank then rolled directly into Machop but was caught. Machop grabbed a hold of the rolling Pokémon but was driven into the gym wall. Once Miltank rolled away, Machop fell to the ground.

Whitney's eyes opened wide. "Oh! I hope that your Machop will be okay…"

Spade turned and returned Machop. "You had to face off against an unbeatable force…" He looked up and glared at Whitney. "So, I can't beat you with a trap or brute force. Maybe speed…" He then tossed one more Poké Ball into the air. Out from the ball came his small red Pokémon: Flareon.

"So are you going to try to beat me with speed? Have you not seen the speed of my Miltank?" Whitney taunted. Spade didn't say anything, he just glared. "Suit yourself! Miltank, keep your Rollout going!"

"I want you to wait for the last moment then dodge with your Quick Attack!" Spade commanded. Flareon turned towards him and nodded while Miltank raced across the field to do damage. As soon as Miltank was within seconds of damage, Flareon leapt above her and Miltank kept going. Miltank crashed into the wall but immediately turned around and kept rolling.

Spade grinned, "Use Ember on the ground!" Once Flareon landed on the ground, he released a flurry of flames onto the ground that Miltank couldn't help but head for.

Miltank rolled right over it and felt the effects. She shot up from the pain and began to pat her side that was burned.

"Now use your Tackle and finish this off!" Spade yelled; he had finally found his opening. Flareon darted for Miltank and tackled the so-called 'unbeatable' Pokémon. Miltank flew once more into the wall and fell slowly. The match was over.

Whitney watched as her Pokémon fell then recalled her Pokémon. "You did a great job… Well, you beat me Jokix." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a square badge. "Here is your new Plain Badge."

Spade snatched it from her hand. "Thanks… It was a good match. Maybe one day…"

"I promise you that one day we will have another match. Once I train up my Miltank a little bit more," Whitney explained.

Abby gave Spade a huge smile. "It looks like Spade is finally learning!"

**A/N So, after actually rereading this chapter, I'd like to know if you'd ever want to see a rematch between Spade and Whitney? Also, next chapter features Abby's third ever contests but the first contest that Spade will actually ever see!**

**With much affection, JohtoBlue**


	14. The Sights of a Contest

"Now introducing, from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, Abby Ling!" The announcer's voice rang throughout the entire Goldenrod City Dome. The crowd went crazy and the whole stadium shook.

"I can't believe that I actually came to watch this stupid thing," Spade mumbled to himself. He took a look around and it disgusted him to see everyone going crazy.

The curtains rose and Abby ran onto the stage, throwing her Poké Ball into the air. The ball burst open and stars flew around the figure that was forming. Within seconds, her Eevee, Nika, fell on the ground and struck a pose.

"Nika, use your Double Team!" Abby ordered while pointing into the air. Her Eevee did as told and began to move at an amazing speed. Clones began to take shape, but instead of in a circle like normal, clones were being formed in the air. The one true Eevee was at the top and Abby knew this.

Abby watched as her style of the Double Team dazzled the crowd. "Now show them the beauty of your Shadow Ball!" Eevee opened its mouth and a dark ball formed. Eevee then released the ball from its mouth and it flew for all the copies of Eevee, destroying each and every one of them. Eevee landed on the ground and every piece fell around him. Each piece sparkled and gave Eevee a shiny looking effect.

Spade sat up in his seat. "I will give her this… That was pretty cool."

"That ends Abby's performance! Let's see what the judges have to say!" The announcer called. She then turned towards the three judges.

The first judge smiled. He wore a dark red suit and had black slicked back hair. "The way that she commanded Eevee into using Double Team into the air was amazing."

"It is clear that the connection between you and Eevee is strong," the second judge complimented. He was short and pudgy. He was almost balding, but that didn't seem to affect his ability to smile.

The Goldenrod Nurse Joy nodded. "I'm going to simply jump on with them and agree. You and Eevee are excellent."

Abby smiled. She was relieved that the judges thought so well of her. She reached out her arm and Nika jumped up onto her shoulder. She then walked back into the hallway and let out a sigh of relief.

"Every time I get so nervous… It's until I walk away from the judges that I feel great about the contest," Abby told Nika.

"That's a great mindset to keep!" A voice boomed. Abby turned and found that the voice was from a boy not much older than herself. He had black hair, light green eyes, and freckles that ran across his face. He wore a red jacket a top a black shirt and light blue jeans with holes in them. One of the most notable points about him was his black scarf that hung down far. "Hi! I'm Andrew!"

Abby smiled, "I'm Abby. Nice to meet you Andrew. Are you competing?"

Suddenly Andrew's eyes widened and he raced outside the curtain and the crowd could be heard going crazy. Abby laughed before making her way back to the locker room. Once in there, she got a quick glimpse of Andrew on the television. He stood next to a giant purple Pokémon that had the appearance of a moth.

"What an amazing performance by Andrew and his Venomoth!" The announcer screamed into the microphone. The crowd responded by screaming and cheering.

"Do you want to watch more of the performances with me, or do you want to rest in your Poké Ball for awhile?" Abby asked Nika. Nika shook her head and knocked away the Poké Ball. "Hmm, so I take it that you don't like the Poké Ball?"

"Swee!" Nika responded firmly.

She bent over and pet Nika slowly. Abby watched as coordinator after coordinator performed and showed off their Pokémon's skills and best traits. After awhile, Andrew joined her.

"So, you have a Venomoth?" Abby asked, trying to make conversation. "I have a cute little Venonat."

"Yep! I got my Venomoth from the Gym Leader in Fuchsia City. I saw you compete in your last contest. What a performance you gave," Andrew said with his huge smile. He then looked onto the screen and noticed that it was time to announce the second rounds pairings.

"Only four of our coordinators will make it to the second round! Let's see who they all are!" The announcer screamed before she pointed to the screen and four cards were shown. The each flipped over to reveal the next rounds competitors. Abby and Andrew both made.

Abby sighed another sigh of relief. "I made it! Awesome!" She stood up and Nika struggled to stay on her shoulder.

Andrew stood up next to her and threw his arms into the air. "This, in my opinion, is one of the greatest feelings ever."

Suddenly the cards began to scramble and the next matches were announced. Abby and Andrew were in different brackets. This somehow made Abby feel even better.

"Hey, Abby… Promise me that we'll face each other in the finals, okay?" Andrew said to Abby while smacking her on the back.

Abby winced. "You bet buddy." Andrew then raced off to battle while Abby sat down and looked through her Poké Balls.

In little time, Andrew raced back to the locker room with his same goofy smile. "I won!" He yelled loudly. "Now, it's your turn to win!"

Abby stood up and nodded, "You can't count on me seeing you in the finals!" She then ran out into the hallway and to the field. Abby quickly made her way over to the trainers box were she would stand during battle. Eevee stayed on her shoulder the whole time.

"This battle will be between Abby Ling from Pallet Town and Reuben Wentland from Nimbasa City. The match will be over either whenever the time runs out, points run out or if a Pokémon is declared unable to continue," The announcer screamed. The crowd was now on their feet from the excitement.

"Two more matches… This is making me sick!" Spade said in disgust. "I can't stand all of these fruit baskets and their loud noises."

"Let's go, Petilil!" Reuben called while he threw his Poké Ball into the air. The ball burst open and a small green Pokémon emerged while pretty little heart shapes danced around it.

Abby grabbed at her Poké Ball, "I hope that Spade is watching. It is time to impress! Let's go, Shin!" She then threw her Poké Ball into the air and it opened up quickly. Fire flew from it and a small fox-like Pokémon with six different tails formed. This Vulpix wasn't normal. Its body was yellow unlike the normal orange Vulpix.

"What a surprise! Abby is using a shiny Vulpix against Reuben's Petilil," The announcer noted. "Let's begin!"

The clock on the jumbotron then let out a loud _ding_ and the countdown had begun.

"Petilil, let's start this off with your Magical Leaf!" Reuben ordered right as the countdown started to tick. Petilil did what it could to jump into the air, leaves followed. With one quick sudden movement, the leaves began to glow and they flew towards Abby's Vulpix.

Abby grinned, "Shin, wait until they reach you then use your Fire Spin!" Shin nodded and waited for the leaves to reach him. As soon as they were in striking distance, he released flames from his mouth that swirled in a fashionable way. The leaves were destroyed on contact and the remains of them sprinkled onto the shiny Vulpix.

"What a wonderful way to counter your opponent's attack and use it to make your Pokémon only more dashing!" The announcer complimented.

Andrew stood in the back and watched as the battle continued on the monitor. "Abby really knows how to use her Pokémon… If I'm not careful, I might lose this one."

"Continue your attack with Quick Attack!" Abby ordered. Shin nodded and took off. He ran as fast as he could across the field towards Petilil and smacked right into it. Petilil flew across the field and crashed into a wall. It landed on the ground and it was clear that it was unable to continue.

Three red X's appeared on the judges panel signaling that the match was over.

"It looks like for our final round we'll be seeing Abby Ling from Pallet Town going against Andrew Sosa from Fuchsia City. What a match! Don't miss it folks!" The announcer screamed for any of the television viewers.

It was long before both Andrew and Abby stood on their respective sides of the battlefield, ready to give it their best to win.

"Just because we became buddies doesn't mean that I'll take it easy on you!" Andrew shouted from his box. "Let's go, Staryu!"

From Andrew's Poké Ball, a yellow star shaped Pokémon appeared. It has a pretty red gym in the middle and it couldn't stop spinning in the air.

Spade grabbed at his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon. "Staryu, the Star Shape Pokémon. At night, the center of its body slowly flickers with the same rhythm as a human heartbeat."

"I guess that could possibly put into the appeal… maybe," Spade mumbled. "I don't get contests…"

"You can do it, Shin!" Abby called. She threw her Poké Ball into the air and her shiny Vulpix appeared out of the Poké Ball in the fanciest way possible.

"We have Staryu going against Shin, a shiny Vulpix! Let the battle begin!" The announcer told the crowd before she pointed at the jumbotron behind her. The clock began its countdown.

"Start this off with your Bubblebeam!" Andrew ordered before Abby could even think. Staryu twisted its body and shot bubbles from one of its ends. The bubbles raced for Shin but Abby had a counterattack.

"Fend those off with your Ember!" Abby ordered. Shin did just this. He opened his mouth and shot small flames from his mouth that collided with the bubbles. Upon contact, a small explosion was caused in the middle of the field. Small sprinkles from the bubbles fell.

Andrew smiled at the smoke that floated throughout the air. "Rapid Spin, now!" Staryu took off for the smoke, spinning at a very quick rate. Staryu ripped through the smoke and only used the falling bits of water to make it look better. It then raced for Shin and before Shin could react, Staryu connected.

Shin flew across the field and into Abby who caught her Vulpix. Both Pokémon and trainer fell back onto the ground.

"Y-you okay?" Abby asked Vulpix while standing back up. "This isn't going to be an easy battle. Didn't think it was going to be…"

"Vulpix!" Shin cried out before leaping out of her arms. It growled at Staryu, prepared to continue its fight.

"Looks like Abby and Vulpix are still prepared to fight!" The announcer screamed, getting the crowd as revved up as she could. "Let's continue!"

Abby looked at the clock, "Looks like we've already wasted a minute and our points are down. We have to come back! Use your Quick Attack!" Shin immediately took off for Andrew's Staryu.

"Let's use their tactic and battle back with your Rapid Spin!" Andrew ordered. Staryu then began its spinning attack for the Vulpix.

"Perfect! Duck under it and use your Fire Spin!" Abby told Vulpix as both Pokémon were about to clash. Shin ducked as fast as he could and released a dazzling looking flame from his mouth on the underside of Staryu. Staryu shot into the air and smacked against the ceiling.

Andrew watched as his Pokémon began to fall, "Oh no!"

"Abby is pretty quick on her toes. She isn't completely useless after all," Spade noted to himself while watching Andrew's points decrease.

"Use your Double Team!" Andrew ordered. Staryu fell threw the air and clones began to appear quickly throughout the air. It was now impossible to tell which one was the real one.

"Andrew has left this whole stadium in complete aw by multiplying Staryu," the announcer informed the audience. They didn't really hear her though, too busy being in aw.

Abby glared, "Use your Roar!" As the Staryu all fell for Shin, he opened his mouth and a great roar was bellowed. Most of the clones were completely destroyed but the remaining ones circled around Shin.

"Perfect! Use your Ice Beam now!" Andrew ordered. "No way am I losing to a loser like you!" Andrew caught what he said and slapped himself.

"That wasn't very nice!" Abby snapped.

The Staryu clones each lit up at their ends a thin beam shot from them at Shin.

"Fire Spin at the ground now!" Abby screamed in desperation. As fast as he could, shin released more flames from his mouth at the ground that caused him to fly though the air. His flames spread quickly and destroyed the remaining clones and the Ice Beam attack. Shin fell back to the ground and let the remains of the his beautiful flames sprinkle onto him.

A sudden buzzard went off and everyone's attention was dragged towards the jumbotron.

The announcer gave a huge smile and waited a little bit to say anything to build tension. "Looks like we have a winner! Andrew has run out of points and your winner of the Goldenrod City Contest is Abby, from Pallet Town!"

Abby took a breath of relief and sat on the ground before Shin ran up to her to give her a form of hug.

Andrew walked slowly towards Staryu and gave him a slight pat. "You did your best buddy. Next time, right?"

The judges walked up to Abby and handed out a golden ribbon. "You have earned this Abby! We cannot wait to see you in your next contest."

Abby stood up and grabbed the ribbon and held it high, "We did it!"

"Good job, Abby. I'm sorry for getting so competitive," Andrew told Abby. He rubbed the back of his head in shame.

Abby held out her hand for Andrew to shake, "I understand. Everyone will get like that at times!"

Andrew grabbed her hand and shook it. "Rivals?"

"Rivals!" Abby said with a smile.

**A/N Sorry for this very late update. These past three weeks have been very hectic. I've been working my butt off so I could save up some money because I went to Denver, Colorado for Spring Break. The week prior to that, I turned 18 and we've been doing family things and what not. Also, it was mid-term week so things were hard. We will try to update a few stories tomorrow and I'll try to update Spade's story again in this next week. I'm also working on another story but I don't know how long it'll be till I start posting it.**

**Grande Love, JohtoBlue**


	15. The Strong Battler

"Three down, two more contests to go!" Abby said aloud. She held her ribbon case high to reveal her three ribbons.

Spade frowned. "That's IF you win those two contests. You're bound to lose, unlike myself."

"I doubt that I'll lose in a contest. I've pretty much have everything I need figured out," Abby explained.

"You two sound very sure of yourself, don't you?" A voice mumbled from the side. Spade and Abby turned and saw a teenage boy sitting on one of the nearby benches. He had short and neat, jet black hair and chocolate colored eyes. He wore a tuxedo jacket and black pants. His look was that of the wealthy."That could be your downfall."

A girl of the same age sat on the bench alongside the boy. She wore a black dress with an red oriental dragon design that snaked up and around it. Her hair fell down her back and pierced into Spade's very soul.

"Who asked you?" Spade snapped. "It is rude for you to listen to other's conversations."

The boy stood up from the bench and smiled. "I take it that the two of your are Pokémon trainers? My name is Eoin, this is Grace. I've been looking for a tough battle since I came to Johto."

"So, you're not from around these parts?" Spade asked. "Looks like we have a straggler!"

"I wouldn't call myself a straggler. I've been around here with Grace for awhile now and we've kind of figured everything out. It is a lot different from Lilycove though…" Eoin told Spade, trying to defend himself.

Abby grinned, "You lookin' for a battle? I'm just hot off of a contest win and Spade just won a gym battle. I'm sure that we could give you a good battle."

"How about a double battle? If you both are so great," Eoin suggested. He pulled out two Poké Balls, ready to do battle.

"Piece of cake… Let's do this. C'mon out, Monferno!" Spade called while throwing his Poké Ball into the air. Monferno emerged and took a battling stance.

"You can do it, Sam!" Abby said while she threw her Poké Ball into the air in a fashionable way. Sam, the Bulbasaur, appeared and struck a quick pose. He noticed that he was battling next to Monferno and gave Spade's Pokémon a glare.

"A Bulbasaur and Monferno. Odd combination but it shall be fun. Let's go, my friends, Latias and Latios!" Eoin shouted. He threw two Poké Balls into the air and two Pokémon emerged. They both had dragon-like appearance but one was red and the other, blue.

"Latias, the Eon Pokémon. Latias is highly intelligent and capable of understanding human speech. It is covered with a glass-like down. The Pokémon enfolds its body with its down and refracts light to alter its appearance," Spade's Pokédex read. He then scanned Latios, "Latios, the Eon Pokémon. Latios will only open its heart to a Trainer with a compassionate spirit. This Pokémon can fly faster than a jet plane by folding its forelegs to minimize air resistance."

"This isn't going to be easy," Abby mumbled.

Eoin smiled. "You two may have the first move."

"Then use your Vine Whip, Sam!" Abby ordered. Sam moved and let two vines fly from his bulb towards Eoin's Pokémon.

Spade glared and tucked away his Pokédex. "Mach Punch now!" Monferno darted across the natural battlefield. His fist glowing white.

"Dodge both of their attacks!" Eoin ordered calmly. Latios and Latios maneuvered above both attacks easily and looked down at both of their opponent's Pokémon. "Now both of you, use your Dragon Pulse!" Both Pokémon opened up their mouths and released a purple energy. Both Monferno and Sam took direct hits.

"Spade, if we don't work together then there is no way we can win. We have to attack in a more coordinated way," Abby told Spade with a worried look on her face.

Spade glared at her. "Monferno! Get up and use your Flame Wheel now!" Monferno stood up from the strong attack and completely engulfed himself in flames before rolling for Latios.

"Counter with your Shadow Claw!" Eoin ordered calmly. One of Latio's arms turned black and right as Monferno reached him, he swung and knocked Monferno back to the ground. Monferno landed hard but it was clear that the battle was far from over.

_It's like he is two steps ahead of us the whole time. The fact that Abby won't leave me alone either is really bothering me_, Spade thought. "If you want to work like a team, then use your Vine Whip to throw Monferno into the air!"

Abby nodded. "Sam, throw Monferno above Latios and Latias!" Sam reached out his vines and grabbed ahold of Monferno to toss him into the air.

"Now, Flamethrower!" Spade ordered in his fiercest tone. Monferno opened his mouth and flames flew quickly out from it. The flames engulfed both of Eoin's Pokémon completely. Monferno fell back to the ground in front of Spade and was breathing heavily.

"Shake off the flames," Eoin told his Pokémon. Both of them did just as told and shook off the flames, both uninjured.

"Any ideas?" Spade asked. "I'm running dry and Monferno is almost out of energy."

"Use your Petal Dance, Sam!" Abby told her Pokémon in desperation. Sam leapt into the air and released a multitude of swirling leaves for Latias.

Once again, Eoin had a counter attack. "Dodge, then use your Attract." Latias easily darted to the side to avoid the attack. It then winked and a heart zoomed across the field and connected with Sam. Sam then got a smile on his face and began to dance around stupidly.

"Oh no! Help!" Abby screamed.

Spade grinned deceitfully. "Use your Mach Punch on Bulbasaur!" Monferno responded with his own grin before slamming his fist into Sam's jaw. This snapped Sam out of the attractive trance and put him back into battle.

"That was pretty interesting," Eoin complimented. "But let's see how you both can react to my finishing attacks. Latias, Mist Ball. Latios, Luster Purge!" Latias formed a misty ball in the middle of her arms and Latios opened up his mouth where a purple aura began to take shake.

"I've never heard of those attacks," Spade commented. "Try to counter with your Flamethrower!"

"And you can counter with your Petal Dance!" Abby told Sam.

Both Sam and Monferno were worn out but Eoin's Pokémon looked as though they just entered the battle. Each Pokémon released their respective attacks and the attacks met in the middle of the battlefield. Petal Dance and Flamethrower were destroyed completely and Eoin's attacks pursued. The attacks connected with Monferno and Sam who then were flung behind Abby and Spade. They were both unable to continue the battle.

"Looks like I win this one. I was hoping you'd be a little bit more of a challenge. Especially after all that talk of you being unbeatable," Eoin told them. He lifted his Poké Balls and returned his Pokémon. "We can battle again whenever you get stronger."

"It isn't nice to pick on the weak, Eoin," Grace told the cocky trainer. It was the first time that she spoke.

Eoin turned towards her, "If they say they're strong, who am I to not believe them?"

_If I can't beat a trainer off of the streets, what makes me think that I can beat Giovanni? I bet if Free were here right now_, he'd be laughing at me, Spade thought. He clenched his fists together and returned Monferno. _I am still not strong enough!_

With that, Spade took off. He could hear Abby scream for him from behind but he didn't turn back. He just kept running, through a field and soon through a couple of trees. His plan was to run until he couldn't run anymore.

"Stantler!" Something cried. Spade turned and noticed a few Pokémon running for him. They were tall and light brown and had the appearance of a dear. They were either scared or angry but nonetheless, were charging for Spade.

In the blink of an eye, Spade was knocked down. The Pokémon kept running and began to stomp all over him. None even gave Spade a second glance. One in particular stomped down hard onto his arm and Spade could feel it snap.

"Ah!" Spade screamed. He couldn't feel his right arm any longer and he began to fade into darkness. Images of his brother filled his mind. The hope of one day gaining revenge faded away. Soon, Spade passed out and all was black.

**A/N You can thank Electra Flare for the awesome OC, Eoin. Thanks for being patient Electra. With that note, thanks for being patient everyone. I really hate updating this late for every story but I've been oh so busy. I'm actually in the process of writing my own comic so that takes up a lot of my time. Looks like Spade is hurt! What will happen next?**

**With much affection from my heart area, Johto Blue**


	16. The Hotel Lady

Spade opened up one eye and looked around a small room. He lay in a tarnished, grey bed with candles and odd objects that he couldn't make out surrounding him. The door opened and an older woman walked into the room.

She wore a grey cloak that matched Spade's bed and her hair was also graying. To keep herself standing, she supported herself with a walking stick covered in odd designs.

"You've been out for awhile. How are you feeling?" She moved closer to him and put down a bowl on his bed.

"How did I get here?" Spade asked. He sat up and with his left hand, felt his head. He tried to move his right arm, but it only hurt him. Once he looked down he noticed that it was in a cast. "Where am I?"

"You're in Ecruteak City. And to be exact, you're in my inn," She said. She patted him on his shoulder lightly. "What exactly happened to you?"

"I was attacked by a herd of Pokémon. They ran at me relentlessly and next thing I know, I woke up in here," Spade explained. "How did I get here?"

"It was probably the wild herd of Stantler. They do get crazy around this time of year," she told him.

Spade glared at her. "Are you going to tell me how I ended up here or not?"

"I'm sorry. I guess that a traveling trainer found you and brought you here. In fact, he was a former champion, and also, my grandson," she explained. "I'm sorry that I've yet to introduce myself. My name is Viento. I'm a medicine woman and I own this inn."

"A former champion?" Spade asked. He rubbed his eyes and now he was wide awake.

Viento nodded, "Yep! I'm wasn't really supposed to tell you who he was because he's trying his hardest to stay hidden for the next few months. I'm not sure if I should've told you that either…"

"I have to find him…" Spade mumbled. He looked up and found that Viento heard him. "To thank him, of course."

_This guy can tutor me and make me stronger if I can find him_, Spade thought. He sat back in his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Viento laughed. "I'm going to need you to give me some numbers so we can get a hold of any family members." She then motioned towards the bowl on his bed. "Also, I brought you a bowl incase you're hungry."

Spade frowned at the bowl which was empty. "How am I supposed to eat nothing? I would appreciate some soup if that is okay."

Viento nodded and grabbed the bowl. She left the room and Spade closed his eyes to relax just a bit longer. He had a horrible headache and his arm was only growing in pain.

Viento soon walked back into the room and held out the bowl of soup. Spade took it and began to slurp it down. He didn't know how hungry he was until the food was in front of him. It felt as though he hadn't eaten in days; he didn't know that hadn't.

"I have a few pain medications if you'd need any. I think that it'd be best if you stay here until your arm is mended," Viento suggested.

Spade sighed and put down his bowl. "I can't stay here. I have to keep myself moving if I want to become stronger."

"Then you have to travel with someone. I'm surprised that we got you alive. Do you know the dangers of traveling alone like you did?" Viento scolded. "Children like you shouldn't be alone."

Spade closed his eyes and remembered that he had abandoned Abby. "I wasn't traveling alone… I…"

"You what?" Viento asked.

"I have a terrible headache," Spade explained. He then put his hand onto his head.

Viento stood up and grabbed one of the bottles that was on the table next to Spade. She quickly poured some water into a cup and handed both the bottle and the cup to Spade. "Take these and your headache should be gone in no time. Now, what happened to the people you were traveling with?"

Spade gulped down one of the pills and put down the cup. "I lost a battle with my traveling companion, Abby, and ran away out of anger. I can't stand losing…"

"Do you run away from all of your losses?" She asked. She took the cup from Spade and put it down.

Spade hung his head low. The unresponsive boy gave Viento all the response that she needed.

"Now, about your family members, who do I contact?" She questioned. She pulled out a pencil and paper from her pockets.

"I don't have any family to go to," Spade explained. He looked at the older woman and a single tear fell from her eye.

"Y-you don't?" Viento asked. "Then… I don't know what I should do."

Spade frowned. "I'll be fine. Just give me my things and point me towards the closest gym."

Viento nodded and stood up to go and grab Spade's things. She left the room and it was a seemed like a long wait.

"I've heard of many champions throughout the years. Some stick out while others only get lucky. I really do wonder who this champion is," Spade thought to himself aloud. "I need this champion's power!"

The door opened and Viento returned with Spade's clothing. "I don't think that it is smart of you to go and travel just yet, but who am I to stop you?"

He stood up slowly from his bed and began to change into his clothes while Viento faced the wall. "I refuse to stay in one spot and not get any stronger."

She sighed. "You remind me of my grandson so much. He never could stay in one place either."

Spade finished putting on his clothing and checking to see if everything was still in his pockets, everything was. "I would really appreciate it if you could show me where the next gym is."

"There is a gym here in town. I'll point you the way if you tell me your name," Viento explained. She smiled a mischievous smile.

Spade couldn't help but smile back. "My name is… Spade." He shook his head quickly to rid of his smile. "Now please show me."

She pointed him towards the gym and he was on his way. He kept his arm in his cast and Viento told him to meet up with as many doctors as he could throughout the next few months.

"So as soon as I defeat this gym leader, I'll find you, Abby," Spade told himself. He felt bad about leaving her like he did, but that was his only real reaction. He pulled all of his Poké Balls from his pockets. "We will also become as strong as we can. Every one of us!"

The gym quickly became within eyeshot and he began a slow jog towards it. As soon as he reached the doors, they opened and Abby flew out of the gym. She embraced Spade and sobbed a little bit.

"Where have you been?" Abby squealed. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Spade sighed. "How hard did you even look?" He slightly pushed her away and he showed his arm to her.

"What happened to you?" Abby screeched. She got a closer look at his cast as though it was the weirdest thing she'd ever seen.

"I'll fill you in later. I have to win myself a gym badge," Spade explained. He pushed himself towards the door but another person stopped him from walking in.

"It's good to see that you're conscious," the person said. It was a boy who looked around the age of sixteen. He wore a green jacket and dark green pants. His eyes were of a teal color and his hair was long and spiked so that it flew past his face.

"I-I recognize you," Spade murmured. "You're…"

"Stop taking your time. My name is Verde," the boy announced.

"You're that former champion! Verde, from Pallet Town!" Spade announced.

**A/N Sorry for not updating a lot at all. I really hope that I'm able to but I'm not even able to write anymore. It'll probably be awhile till I continue updating this story so I can get far enough ahead. Just have to wait for the summer I guess!**

**Bleh... sorry you're just so beautiful! JohtoBlue**


	17. The Strongest Gym Yet!

"It's good that someone recognizes me, I guess. You should tone down a little bit," Verde whispered.

Spade nodded. "I was wondering if by chance-"

"I understand that you have a gym battle. Let's not keep Morty waiting," Verde told Spade. He pushed Spade lightly and he took the hint. Spade entered the gym.

"Is it smart for you to be battling?" Abby asked. "You don't look like you're in great condition."

Spade decided to ignore Abby and turned towards Verde. "How did you know that I have a gym battle?"

Verde laughed. "I could see it in your eyes. You're intent on getting stronger, aren't you?"

Spade simply nodded.

"Then you need to battle, and I see this as a great time to battle," Verde told Spade. "From the moment that I saw you lying down, I knew what you were all about."

Abby gave Spade a one-armed hug before Spade could get angry. "Well, you heard the champion! Go ahead and challenge Morty!"

Spade took a deep breath and turned back towards the battlefield. A tall man wearing a striped blue and yellow sweater approached them. He had dark blonde hair and a blue headband that held some of his hair back.

"So, what have you brought now, Verde?" The man questioned.

"Morty, I'd like you to meet your next challenger!" Verde announced. He then gave Spade a dumbfound look. "What is your name?"

_I don't want to lie around the champion. I have to give my real name this time_, Spade thought. "My name is Spade, and I was wondering if I could battle you for you badge."

"I like someone straightforward like you," Morty told Spade with a grin. "How about a two-on-two battle? Sound good to you?"

Spade nodded once more and Morty made his way over to his side of the battlefield.

"I was wondering if you'd want to be the referee for our battle, Verde?" Morty suggested.

"Of course I would!" Verde replied. He did a slight jog over to the referee box while Abby found a seat in the stands.

"You can do it, Spade!" Abby cheered.

"Mis!" Something cried behind her. Abby turned quickly but nothing was there.

"What was that?" Abby wondered. She shook it off though, and turned back to the battle.

"This will be a two on two battle in the single battle format between challenger, Spade and Gym Leader, Morty. Only the challenger may switch out during battle. Begin!" Verde announced.

"C'mon out, Haunter!" Morty called while throwing his ball into the air. His Haunter burst from its Poké Ball and stuck out its tongue at Spade.

Spade grabbed at his golden Pokédex to scan Haunter. "I was never able to get real information on Haunter, so this is a good chance to."

"In total darkness, where nothing is visible, Haunter lurks, silently stalking its next victim," The Pokédex announced.

"So, I take it that I'm up against a ghost-type gym. If that is the case then I'm going to with my own Haunter!" Spade announced. He let loose his Haunter and she did a short dance before striking a pose.

"You have yourself a feisty Haunter. You have the first attack," Morty told Spade.

Spade nodded. "Start this one off with your Thunderbolt!" Haunter did its dance before releasing a plethora of electric sparks from its ghost-like coat.

"Counter with your Energy Ball!" Morty quickly ordered before the attack could reach. Morty's Haunter formed a small green ball in the middle of each of its hands. It then flung the ball towards the sparks, completely destroying them in the process.

Smoke filled the middle of the field that eventually engulfed both of the Haunter.

"Now, Shadow Ball!" Morty ordered fiercely. In the smoke, blindly, Haunter formed a shadowy ball in his claw-like hands and shot it in Spade's Haunter's direction.

"Send back your own Shadow Ball!" Spade called. Before Spade's Haunter could move, she was struck. Haunter flew from the smoke and dust and smacked against the gym's wall.

"C'mon, Haunter!" Abby cheered. She felt a sudden presence getting closer to the back of her neck and once again she shot around. Nothing was to be seen.

Spade glared at Morty then looked back up at his Pokémon who was shaking from the pain. "Haunter, try your Thunderbolt one more time!"

Haunter began to charge up sparks like before but it was too late; Morty was ready for his next attack.

"Sucker Punch!" Morty commanded before Spade's attack could even go into full effect. Haunter's fist turned a darker purple and in a blink of an eye, it punched Spade's Pokémon as hard as it could.

Spade's Haunter dropped down to the ground and was unable to get back up from such a hard blow.

Verde grinned. "Spade's Haunter is unable to continue! Morty's Haunter wins this round." He raised his arm and pointed towards Morty's side of the field. "How will Spade come back from that?"

Morty frowned. "I agreed to let you ref, not commentate."

Spade stood in shock and slowly turned to find his Haunter, completely incapable of moving. He slowly lifted his Poké Ball and returned Haunter. "You did your best. I guess that we'll have to just work on it."

"Poor Haunter…" Abby mumbled.

"Mis-Misdreavus," something cooed behind her. Abby tried to ignore it though. She kept her eyes fixed on the battle, her fingers crossed in hope that the battle would end soon.

"You have a Haunter with potential. You will have to work on teaching it a more variety of moves, though," Morty informed Spade.

Spade nodded and drew out another Poké Ball. "This is a risky strategy, but I know we can do it. C'mon out, Machop!" He threw his Poké Ball into the air and his fighting Pokémon was released.

Machop flexed his muscles and glared at his foe, Haunter.

"Machop!" He cried out, prepared to fight his hardest.

"Use your Foresight, now!" Spade commanded, spit flying. Machop opened his eyes wide and they began to glow a blue color.

Verde clapped. "I figured that would be your strategy."

Morty glared at him and he stopped clapping.

Spade pointed towards Haunter, now that his plan was set. "Now use your Cross Chop!"

Machop jumped forwards and crossed his arms, readied to swing them at Haunter when needed.

"Use your Energy Ball as a counter!" Haunter formed another green ball in the middle of its hands and flung it at Machop.

Machop simply swung his arms at the ball and completely destroyed it. He continued his attack and slammed his forearms into the ghost Pokémon. Haunter flew back but caught itself in midair.

Morty watched Machop land back on his feet. "Now use your Shadow Ball!" Haunter formed another ball into the middle of his hands and released it towards Machop. The ball landed in front of Machop and caused a small explosion to cloak Machop, temporarily blinding Spade's Pokémon.

"Now, Shadow Punch!" Morty ordered. Haunter bounded across the field, its fist ready to jab into Machop.

"Karate Chop!" Spade ordered. He knew that Machop couldn't see, that didn't mean that Machop couldn't attack.

Machop blindly swung its flattened palm around in the smoke. As soon as Haunter reached, both attacks connected. Machop flew out of the smoke and landed onto the ground with a hard thud. Haunter stayed in the same place that it was, breathing heavily.

"Get up, Machop!" Spade demanded. Machop struggled but stood back up and flexed his muscles.

"Machop!" He cried before he began to glow white. He glowed brightly and quickly took a different shape.

"Machoke!" The new form called out, striking yet another pose.

Spade grinned. "Looks like you've evolved." He pulled out his Pokédex and scanned his newly evolved Pokémon.

"Machoke, the Superpower Pokémon. Machoke is the evolved form of Machop. It always goes at its full power, but this very tough and durable Pokémon never gets tired," the Pokédex read. Spade tucked it back into this pocket and grinned.

"Your luck has run out! Machoke, use your Cross Chop!" Spade ordered. Machoke crossed its forearms and jumped into the air to strike.

Morty laughed. "Don't think that power is everything. Machoke evolving will be your downfall. Haunter, Destiny Bond!"

Haunter began to glow a dark purple and was struck hard by Machoke's attack. Haunter fell to the ground and was unable to continue. Suddenly a purple aura flew from Haunter and latched itself to Machoke. Machoke immediately fell to the ground.

"This match comes out to a double knockout!" Verde announced. He held up both of his hands then pointed at Morty. "The gym leader has one Pokémon still remaining while the challenger does not. Morty wins the match."

Spade dropped to his knees. "How… How could I lose?" He felt suddenly something wet drop on the back of his neck. He turned around and found himself face to face with a weird floating Pokémon.

It was a dark purple with what had the appearance of flowing hair on the back of its single body, and tears were slowly falling from its eyes. "Misdreavus…"

"I knew I heard something!" Abby screamed. She ran from the stands and pointed at the Misdreavus.

"Swee!" Her Eevee snapped at the Pokémon.

"That's a Misdreavus. They're not that rare of a sight around here," Morty explained. "Looks like this Misdreavus likes you."

Spade glared at it. "Stop crying and get out of here!" He snapped. It looked at him before more tears fell from its face and it raced out of the gym.

"That was odd," Verde noted.

Morty offered his hand to Spade. "I'd be glad to one day have another match with you."

Spade grabbed Morty's hand and stood back up. He pulled out his Poké Ball and returned his Machoke. Without a word, he turned and tried to leave the gym.

"I don't think so!" Abby said, stopping Spade from leaving. "Mouh Mahn Taih! We know what happened last time that you just ran off like that!"

Spade glared at her. "I need to become stronger! I can't do that if I'm here right now. Let me go so I can train!"

"Now you just need to take it easy. By putting stress on yourself and your Pokémon, you won't gain any strength," Verde explained. It was the first time that he was really serious about anything.

Morty grinned. "Like I said, I'd love to have another match with you anytime."

"That's what Eoin said…" Spade mumbled. "I need to get stronger…"

"How about this…" Verde began. Everyone quickly turned to hear what he had to say and he paused. "Um… What if I trained you for awhile? I'm heading towards Mahogany in a little bit, if you'd like to join me?"

**A/N Sorry it's taken so long to update. Kind of been out of it lately. I hope to get back into it in awhile. To be honest, I've been very depressed lately and it's caused me to just stop wanting to write. Oh well!**

**Much dirty love, JohtoBlue**


	18. The First Test

It didn't take long for the group to leave towards Mahogany Town. Spade was officially under Verde's wing and his real training would soon begin.

"So, how often do you train your Pokémon?" Verde asked while the group of three exited out of Ecruteak and entered Route 42.

There was a slight breeze. Spade kept his broken arm covered by his jacket. For some reason, his arm was freezing.

Abby began to laugh. "You're kidding me? Spade trains his Pokémon every minute of the day." She grinned at Spade who was only glaring back. "It's very rare to see him _not_ training."

Verde laughed. "Is that so? You sound like me whenever I first started."

"I'm not nearly as great as you were though," Spade mumbled. "I'm still not even close to strong enough."

"And you think that I am?" Verde questioned. Both of the younger trainers stared at him blankly. "I still have many challenges that I've got to overcome. I'm not nearly as strong as I want to be."

Spade nodded. "I see…"

"How big are each of your teams?" Verde asked.

"I currently only have five Pokémon," Spade said with a frown.

"How about you, Abby?" Verde asked before turning towards her.

"I'm tied with Spade! I only have five with me," Abby explained.

Verde nodded. "Hmm… Well, first thing is first. You need to capture more Pokémon. If you branch out your team a little bit more then, it'd be so much easier to battle."

"I was a little bit limited with my Pokémon in my last match," Spade recalled. "Then that settles that! I'm going to capture a Pokémon."

"I always collected as many Pokémon as I could. Capturing many different Pokémon and training them helped me for different situations," Verde explained. "Have you ever heard of rotation teams?"

"No, what is a rotation team?" Spade asked. He took mental notes of everything that Verde was saying.

Verde grinned and held one finger up into the air to look smarter. "It's whenever you capture many different kinds of Pokémon and switch them out to train them. You train so many Pokémon to be powerful. You're never stuck with the same team."

"That's genius," Spade complimented. "I need to have myself a rotation team."

"I think that is just wrong," Abby scoffed. "Having the same team for a long time is healthy for the relationship between you and Pokémon. Switching them out constantly makes them similar to tools."

Verde closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I can agree with you to an extent, but I've never seen them as tools. Once you capture over six Pokémon, the extra are sent to Professor Oak in Pallet Town."

"So, at least they're safe," Spade grabbed at his Monferno's Poké Ball. "I couldn't stand it if something actually happened to my Pokémon…"

"Bee!" Something cried out loudly before sparks flew in front of the trainers. A small yellow Pokémon with black stripes and two rectangular horns jumped from the bushes and glared at them.

Verde grinned at the sight of the Pokémon. "Awesome, I haven't seen one of those in awhile. I'm guessing that we entered into its territory."

Spade grabbed at his Pokédex and scanned it. "Elekid, the Electric Pokémon. Elekid is the pre-evolved form of Electabuzz. It generates electricity by spinning its arms. When lightning is present, it gains strength."

Verde turned towards Spade. "I'd like you to capture Elekid. I want to see more of your battling skill."

Spade nodded and pulled out a Poké Ball. "I'll use my Monferno!"

"I'd like you to use your weakest Pokémon. If Monferno is one of your strongest, don't use it," Verde said in a strict tone.

"I guess… then… Spinarak," Spade replied before pulling out a Park Ball. "I haven't been able to train with Spinarak very much."

He then threw Spinarak's Poké Ball into the air. Spinarak emerged and took a battling pose.

A sudden popping noise came from Abby. Her Venonat emerged from its Poké Ball and fixed her eyes on Spinarak.

"Bing! You can't just go letting yourself out like that!" Abby scolded.

"Venonat!" She cheered.

Abby smiled. "Oh, really?"

"Veno-Venonat!" It replied.

"Bee!" The Elekid cried out angrily, as if saying, _Stop ignoring me!_

Elekid began to twist its arms rapidly and an electric spark shot out of its horns.

"Dodge it now!" Spade ordered.

Spinarak quickly moved out of the way of the attack by jumping into the air.

"Now, use your Poison Sting!" Spade called out.

Still in the air, Spinarak released a flurry of small purple needles from its mouth. Elekid was too fast though. It dodged the attack and shot more sparks from its horns. The electric attack connected directly, and Spinarak fell to the ground.

"You can do it, Spinarak!" Abby cheered. Nika, her Eevee, danced around happily with Venonat.

"Now, use your String Shot!" Spade snapped. Spinarak stood back up slowly then shot a smooth stream of web at Elekid. The web wrapped around Elekid and made it impossible for it to move.

Elekid staggered a little bit before destroying part of the web and letting one of its arms move. The arm then lit up with sparks and it began to charge.

"Watch out! That's Thunderpunch!" Verde warned.

Spade nodded. "Knock it back with your Signal Beam!" Before Elekid could reach Spinarak, a multicolored beam shot from Spinarak's mouth. The beam hit Elekid and caused the Pokémon to fall back.

"Bee…bee, bee," Elekid called out weakly. It stood up though. More sparks flared from its body and the web that had engulfed its body was destroyed.

"Elekid is no pushover! Use your Signal Beam one more time!" Spade ordered quickly. Seeing Elekid's spirit only caused him to want it more.

Spinarak shot another beam from its mouth towards Elekid.

Elekid took the beam directly and once again, fell back.

"Let's go, Poké Ball!" Spade called. He threw a Poké Ball at the fallen Pokémon. It opened up and absorbed Elekid but right as it reached the ground, Elekid popped out.

"Bee!" It cried out angrily. Its fist lit up with sparks once more before darting to punch Spinarak. It connected directly, sending Spinarak into the air.

Spade took his opportunity. "This could be our last shot! From the air, use your String Shot!" Spinarak, once more released a thin, smooth string from its mouth. This time, the string only wrapped around one of Elekid's arms.

"Now, throw it!" Spade commanded. Spinarak swung its head around and threw Elekid into the air.

Elekid quickly fired another electric bolt from its entire body at Spinarak.

"No! Poison Sting!" Spade ordered before the sparks could hit. Spinarak shot more purplish needles from its mouth. The needles connected directly with Elekid's attack causing both attacks to be completely destroyed.

Elekid fell from the sky but didn't land on its feet. Elekid took one last breath and fell to the ground. The battle was over.

"One more time, Poké Ball!" Spade threw a Poké Ball at Elekid and the Pokémon was absorbed. The Poké Ball fell and began to shake. A soft ding sounded and Elekid was signaled to have been caught.

"You did it!" Abby cheered before giving Spade a slight hug.

Venonat ran out into the battlefield and patted its small paws against Spinarak's back.

"Venonat!" It cried out happily.

"Spin?" Spinarak questioned.

Spade glared at Venonat while Abby blushed.

"What is wrong with your Pokémon?" Spade asked.

He grabbed ahold of his newly caught Pokémon's Poké Ball and tucked it into his pocket.

"Oh, Spade. You wouldn't understand," Abby said teasingly.

Verde laughed. "This will definitely be a fun adventure that we have ahead of us…"

**A/N Sorry for the late-ish updates. I'm trying to update as soon as I can but I'm currently taking a really hard college class. I've no time to do anything anymore but I'm really trying to write everyday. My goal is to finish all of these stories. I'm not sure how long Spade's story will be though. Next chapter, things really heat up for Spade.**

**Not as much love as usual but still some love, JohtoBlue**


	19. The Rocket at the Lake Part 1

The wind was calm and relaxing, and the trees began to fade away as the three trainers exited out of Route 42 and made their way into Mahogany. It was a small town with a few buildings. Most of them were built out of wood except for one big, clay building. Verde made his way over to a wide wooden building and a man came running out.

"Verde, I'm glad that you could make it! We have an emergency at the Lake of Rage!" The older man cried out. "A group called Team Rocket has invaded and they're hurting Pokémon!"

"What? Team Rocket again?" Verde said in distress.

Spade glared. "We have to go! I refuse to let Team Rocket get any stronger!"

Verde looked back at Spade, and he could see the determination in his eyes. "Alright, we'll go to the Lake of Rage and postpone my class for later."

"This is kind of exciting! Isn't it, Nika?" Abby asked her Eevee who sat on her shoulder. Nika simply replied by nodding his head.

The trio then took off north towards the Lake of Rage. Eventually, they came to a small building with two Team Rocket members in the front, guarding from anyone entering.

"Let's get them!" Spade shot before Verde stopped him.

"We have to approach this in a better way. If we just attack, they might find us out." Verde took a quick look around. "They have a few more guards around." Verde pointed out a few guards standing in towers above the building.

"So, we have to take out all of the guards, not just two?" Abby asked. She was also taking mental notes from Verde.

Verde nodded. "Spade, you go ahead and use String Shot with your Spinarak. Go ahead and tie them all up," he instructed.

"Alright then," Spade responded before throwing his ball into the air. Once Spinarak popped out, it landed right in front of the two ground guards. They looked down at him in surprise.

"String Shot!" Spade ordered from afar. Spinarak nodded and quickly shot the thin flow of web from its mouth at the guards. Eventually, both of them were wrapped up and incapable of moving their bodies.

Verde looked up and noticed that the two upper guards were taking note of what was going on. "Spade, the upper guards now!"

"Spinarak, String Shot up there now!" Spade commanded once more.

Spinarak leapt into the air and shot two more thin strings of web at them. In no time, they were tied up.

Suddenly a popping noise burst from Abby's pocket and her Venonat, Bing, revealed herself. "Again, Bing? What's up with you?"

"No, this is great! Have Bing do a Sleep Powder!" Verde said with a grin.

"Alright! Sleep Powder, Bing!" Abby told her Pokémon excitedly.

Bing ran and jumped into the air before releasing a purple powder that rained on the guards. Each of the guards fell asleep and soon all were silent.

Bing landed next to Spinarak and tried to rub herself against him as though she was trying to cuddle, but before Spinarak could really respond, a red stream absorbed him back into his Poké Ball. A disappointed look appeared on Bing's face.

Verde laughed. "That was awesome! Now, let's keep moving!"

The group moved through the building and worked their way up a small hill with a cluster of trees and tall grass. The smell of water filled the air, signaling that they were getting closer to the Lake of Rage.

"Most likely, there are going to be Team Rocket operatives all over this place. I'm surprised that we haven't been caught," Verde said. He kept a sharp eye for any unusual activity.

Spade nodded. "We'll be able to deal with anything that they dish out."

"Go, Raticate!" A voice suddenly rang out.

"Destroy them, Sandslash," another voice followed.

Two Pokémon appeared; one was small, brown and had spikes flowing from its back, while the other was a small and furry rat-like Pokémon.

"I can deal with this one," Verde announced while he pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "C'mon out, Charger!" From the Poké Ball, emerged a tall, red, dragon Pokémon with a flame at the tip of its long tail.

Abby smiled at the sight of the Pokémon. "It's Charger, Verde's Charizard!"

Two Rocket grunts walked out from behind a few trees and glared at the trainers. They both wore black clothes with a red "R" placed in the middle of their shirts.

"Sandslash, use your Slash attack!" One of the grunts ordered.

"Hehe, Raticate, Hyper Fang!" The other grunt called out.

Both Pokémon jumped into the air, ready to use their respective attacks.

"I don't think so! Charger, use your Fire Spin!" Verde ordered with a smile on his face.

Charger opened up his mouth and shot a smooth, spiraling flame that completely engulfed both Pokémon. Once the flame died down, Sandshrew and Raticate were no longer able to battle.

"Sandshrew?" One of the Rocket members asked weakly.

"You two should get your Pokémon and run," Verde warned.

The two grunts quickly returned their Pokémon then scuttled out of sight.

_I thought that Abby's Ponyta had a strong Fire Spin, but not even close to what Verde's just did. I'm a lot farther behind than I should be,_ Spade noted.

"That was awesome!" Abby cheered. Nika also put up one of its paws like it was trying to cheer.

Spade nodded. "We should keep going." He attempted to move forward but Verde stopped him.

"I'm going to go around with Charger. I'd like you and Abby to keep going forward. Find a way to signal me if you run into trouble," Verde explained. He got onto Charger's back. "We need to stop Team Rocket!" Charger then flew off with Verde and they were left alone.

"So, we keep moving," Spade told Abby. The two kept going until they finally reached the edge of the lake.

Abby groaned. "What are we even looking for?"

Spade's eyes widened. He actually had no clue. He only knew that he wanted to stop Team Rocket.

"Maybe we should try going around the lake and we'll spot something," Abby suggested.

Spade nodded and they made their way around the lake's edge. Before they could even walk for even a minute, a loud explosion burst from the middle of the lake. A large, red Pokémon emerged and screeched into the air.

"What's that?" Spade asked while he pulled out his golden Pokédex.

"Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokémon. They say that during past wars, Gyarados would appear and leave blazing ruins in its wake," the Pokédex read aloud.

Spade took a close look at the picture on the Pokédex, which had a picture of a blue Gyarados. "What's up with that Gyarados' color?"

"Whenever Gyarados are forced to evolve, they retain their red color from being a Magikarp," a voice boomed from behind them.

Both trainers turned and locked eyes with more Rocket members. One member stood out. He had short, neat hair, and a bulky build. He wore a grey vest with and tight black pants. Behind him stood many Team Rocket grunts.

"My name is Tyson. I'm a head of Team Rocket. I've heard that you've been messing with our plans," he said, pulling out two Poké Balls.

"This isn't good, Abby," Spade whispered. He grabbed two of his own Poké Balls. "C'mon out, Elekid and Monferno!"

"Nika," Abby said. Her Pokémon nodded and leapt onto the ground, preparing itself for a fight.

"Fearow, let's destroy these shrimps!" Tyson called. He threw both of the Poké Balls into the air and two giant, bird Pokémon appeared. They had extremely long beaks and angry expressions on their face.

"Golbat!" A multitude of the grunts called while they threw their Poké Balls into the air. Many blue, bat-like Pokémon with gigantic jaws appeared.

"Elekid, Monferno, use your Thunderbolt and your Flamethrower into the air!" Spade ordered.

**A/N Kind of a short chapter compared to the others. There is a second part though. We didn't want to make it too long. After this, Abby should be doing another contest soon.**

**No love today. We're breaking up. JohtoBlue**


	20. The Rocket at the Lake Part 2

The two Pokémon shot their respective moves into the air. Elekid spun his arms and generated electricity that flew through the air, while Monferno let flames soar from his gaping mouth.

"What are you doing?" Abby asked.

"Never mind that! Attack," Spade snapped. He pointed at the attacking Fearow and Golbat. "Now use your Thunderbolt and Flamethrower on the Pokémon!"

"Nika, use your Shadow Ball on Fearow!" Abby commanded.

Monferno, Elekid, and Nika jumped into the air and let loose their attacks. Electric shocks flew through the air, causing a few Golbat to fall to the ground, while flames from Monferno forced some Golbat into a retreat. Fearow maneuvered around the dark ball of energy and dived swiftly for Eevee.

"Dodge it!" Abby cried out in desperation, but it was too late. Fearow was too close, and Nika was tossed into the air by Fearow's long beak.

"Air Cutter!" The grunts ordered in unison.

"Spinarak, use your String Shot to pull back Eevee!" Spade called before throwing his Park Ball, letting loose his spider Pokémon.

As soon as Spinarak emerged, it shot a smooth string that stuck against Nika. Spinarak pulled it back, causing Nika to avoid any damage.

Abby sighed in relief. "Thank you, Spade. That was quick thinking." She smiled at Spade who only glared at her.

"You can't let Nika get hurt like that. We could really use your Bulbasaur right now," Spade explained.

Abby grabbed Sam's Poké Ball. "Why don't we use all of our Pokémon?" She tried to grab at more of her Poké Balls but Spade stopped her.

"We can't tire out our other Pokémon incase we have to battle more of these creeps," Spade claimed.

Abby nodded and released her Bulbasaur, Sam. "Sam, Nika, use your Razor Leaf and Shadow Ball onto Fearow!"

Sam released a plethora of leaves from its bulb while Nika opened her mouth and released another dark orb from it. The leaves surrounded Fearow and began to slice around the Pokémon's wings. Fearow was distracted by this and the Shadow Ball connected directly. Fearow fell to the ground and the Rocket members all looked surprised.

Tyson glared at the kids. "Alright, you are a lot stronger than I thought you would be. It's time to get serious." He grabbed another Poké Ball and released another Fearow into the air. The grunts behind him released more Pokémon, including Sandslash and Raticate. Abby and Spade were surrounded.

"Now attack!" Tyson ordered the Team Rocket members. Everyone screamed at their Pokémon, trying to get them to attack and finish off the two young trainers.

"Nidoqueen, use Surf!" A familiar voice cried from afar. Suddenly, a big blue Pokémon shot out of the lake nearby, a huge splash of water following it. The water engulfed most of the Pokémon and knocked them to the ground.

Verde suddenly appeared and stood next to Abby and Spade.

"I know this is weird, but we need to get captured. If we get inside then we can find a way to their equipment easier," he whispered to them.

Nidoqueen stood next to him in a guarding stance.

"So, we're just going to give up?" Spade asked furiously.

"No, we're only postponing our victory," Verde reassured. He looked at Tyson who was blown back by the surf attack. "We're clearly outnumbered. We will forfeit if you promise to let us go after you're done here."

Spade nodded and lifted his Poké Balls to return his three Pokémon. Abby mimicked this, even with Nika who hated his Poké Ball.

Tyson glared. "Grab him now!"

Suddenly a few of the Team Rocket members grabbed ahold of the three trainers and handcuffed them. They were quickly thrown into the back of a truck where they were left alone.

"So, how did you know where to find us?" Abby asked.

"I saw Spade's signal. That was good use of your Pokémon's attacks," Verde explained.

Spade sighed. "I really wish that we could've beat them. Being handcuffed like this really hurts my broken arm."

"Just withstand this a bit longer and we'll win. Trust me," Verde told him, trying to calm him down.

The trio was taken into the Team Rocket base and quickly put into a glass holding cell. They were left alone, but their Poké Balls were taken from them.

"So, what do we do now? They took our Poké Balls!" Spade snapped.

"We just have to wait," Verde said. He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. "It'll be a few minutes."

Abby patted Spade's shoulders. "I know you hate it, but we do have to wait. I'm pretty sure that Verde has a plan."

A loud screeching noise emerged from the outside. It was the same noise from the Gyarados from before.

"They're hurting it," Spade thought aloud. "We have to get out of here now!"

"Just give it a few more seconds," Verde said. He was suddenly interrupted whenever the door flew open; smoke filled the room, and a big figure walked in. It slashed down the jail cell and the smoke faded away.

"Charger!" Abby said happily.

"I wouldn't have let us get caught if I knew they were going to take our Pokémon. I released Charger awhile back so he could go and get us," Verde explained. He grinned at Spade. "You just have to keep trusting me."

The group grabbed their Poké Balls and left the room. On the ground were a bunch of Team Rocket members that Charger knocked down.

_He knows how to function without Verde having to give him commands_, Spade thought. _What an amazing Pokémon._

"Charger, lead the way. We need to find their control room," Verde told his Pokémon. Charger nodded and flew down a hallway. The three trainers followed. There was debris everywhere.

"Do you think that we can actually beat them?" Abby asked. She looked a bit scared but determined to win at the same time.

Verde nodded. "We can easily win if we just keep focused on what we need to do. If you need to back out, I won't hold it against you."

Abby shook her head and grinned. "No, I just wanted to know what you were thinking."

The trainers reached the end of the hallway where a big door stood in there way. Charger pointed at it.

"Is this the main control room?" Spade asked. He put his hand on the door, looking for some way to open it up.

Charger gave him a thumbs up and motioned for him to move out of the way. He opened up his mouth and shot a big ball of flames at the door. It shattered and opened up a path for the trainers. Whenever they ran in, Rocket members were ducked and coughing from the smoke.

"Where is Gyarados?" Spade asked. He pulled onto one of the grunts shirts, holding him up slightly.

The grunt coughed. "He's in the experiment room." Spade let him fall back to the ground.

"I'll find the experiment room. You guys take care of this here," Spade told him. "I have to find Gyarados."

Spade ran out of the room. Loud noises followed, signaling that things were being destroyed inside the control room. A few lights flickered off and on.

_I just realized that I won't be able to find the experiment room in this darn maze!_ Spade thought. A sudden whooshing noise stopped Spade in his tracks. He looked up and noticed Charizard in front of him. He knelt down and let Spade climb on top of him. "Are you taking me to the experiment room?"

Charizard opened his mouth and shot another flame that destroyed yet another door. He flew through it and they found themselves outside once more. In the middle of the lake was a big glass room where Gyarados was held.

"We have to go over there, Charger!" Spade told the Pokémon. He pointed at Gyarados.

Charger nodded and darted for the room, but something smacked him. Charger fell through the air but caught himself before he could fall into the lake.

"Fearow, use your Drill Peck now!" Tyson's voice called out. Two of the Fearow flew through the air towards Charger.

Charger opened his mouth and flames bellowed from his mouth. The flames completely engulfed one of the Fearow but the other avoided the attack and collided and with Charger.

"C'mon out, Haunter!" Spade called while he threw his Poké Ball into the air. Haunter emerged and danced around a little bit. "Shadow Ball!" Spade ordered.

Haunter formed a ball between her two ghostly hands before she shot the ball at Fearow. The ball hit directly but Fearow was hardly phased.

"A weak attack like that won't hurt my Fearow!" Tyson shouted while laughing. "Fearow, use your Sky Attack!"

The last remaining Fearow flew up into the air and lit up a red glow. It switched its path and shot a straight path for Haunter.

"I'm sorry to do this… Haunter, Destiny Bond!" Spade ordered with a form of restraint.

Haunter started to glow a slight purple before Fearow connected. Haunter fell to the ground, unable to continue its fight, but Fearow fell with it.

Spade reached out his Poké Ball and the red stream returned his Haunter. "You did your best…"

Tyson ran over to a control panel and pressed a red button. From the base, a satellite appeared. It began to spin around, sending out odd signals. Gyarados began to screech inside its cage, and Charger fell weakly from the sky. Gyarados flailed around inside the glass room and destroyed it. It didn't move from its position though, as though it was paralyzed from fear.

"The satellite is messing with the Pokémon!" Spade said aloud. He glared at the satellite. "Charger, if you can muster up enough strength, use your Fire Blast on the satellite!"

Charger struggled but lifted his head and sent the strongest flame that he could from his mouth. The fire connected directly with the satellite, destroying it into thousands of pieces.

"We did it!" Spade cried out happily. He looked down at Charizard to notice that he was able to fly normally now. The Red Gyarados was now calming down too.

He grabbed at a grey Poké Ball from his bag as fast as he could and threw it at the raging Gyarados. The ball connected with Gyarados and absorbed him. The ball immediately flew back to Spade's hand. "I knew that the Heavy Ball would work!"

Spade looked towards the area that Tyson was in, but he was nowhere to be found. Charger made a sudden movement and they were diving for land. Spade could see that there were police arresting a few Team Rocket members.

Verde grinned at Spade while they landed. "You did a great job, Spade!"

Spade grinned. "It's always fun to destroy Team Rocket's plans!"

"You ruined the whole plan whenever you destroyed the satellite. How did you figure it out?" Abby asked. Spade almost had no clue what she was talking about.

"Well, I saw that once it appeared, the Pokémon looked more angered and weakened. I figured that maybe it had a connection. Guess I was right," he scratched the back of his head.

"Whatever you want to label it, you did a great job," Verde said while he slapped Spade's back. "The satellite was causing the Pokémon to become enraged and was forcing them to evolve faster than normally."

_I guess that isn't much different than what I was doing,_ Spade thought. _Am I no different from Team Rocket?_

"It looks like alls well and ends well, don't you two think?" Verde asked with a smile.

Spade mustered up a smile. "I guess that we can look at it like that."

"We should get going back to Mahogany now, shouldn't we?" Abby asked silently.

Verde laughed. "That's right! We have stuff we gotta do!"

Spade looked back at the debris from the base. "Team Rocket… I will destroy you."

**A/N Looks like Spade caught himself a new Pokemon! Next few chapters, Abby should perform in a contest.**

**Q1) How do you think Gyarados will fit in with Spade's team?**

**Q2) Abby's fourth ribbon is coming up! How do you think she will do?**

**Love ya always! JohtoBlue**


	21. The Class

Spade woke up in the darkness of the Pokémon Center's guest room. He was dizzy due to all the energy he used up the day previous. He got up and went into the bathroom to change. Being the first up with nothing to do, he decided to go outside in the training area.

The outside training area was big. It resembled a small Pokémon stadium, but gave enough room for intense battles. The roof was open, which let in light from the rising sun. Trees circled around the small stadium, enclosing it like a wall.

"C'mon out, everyone!" He called while throwing all of his Poké Balls into the air.

All seven of his Pokémon emerged. Monferno stretched out its body while Elekid and Machoke instantaneously formed rivalry for power. Haunter danced around Gyarados who looked timid. Flareon took note of this and teased the big Pokémon. Spinarak formed a small, nest out of web and leaves and took a nap.

"It looks like we've got ourselves a big group here. I'd like to introduce you guys to our newest member, Gyarados," he told his Pokémon.

"Seven Pokémon, eh?" Verde's voice called out from the entrance to the stadium. "So, I guess that you're not an official trainer?"

Spade turned around and frowned. "I was never officially registered. What's wrong with seven?"

"Six is the legal limit. How did you get ahold of the golden Pokédex?" Verde asked.

Spade pulled it out and grinned. "I received it from Professor Oak. I've been collecting data for him ever since."

Verde walked over and grabbed it. He opened it up and pointed at a button. "You don't want to have seven Pokémon with you at once. You can always send one of your Pokémon to Professor Oak. It's good to have a variety, but if you have too many, certain Pokémon won't get the attention that they need."

"So, I have to send one to Professor Oak?" Spade questioned. He looked at his Pokémon. _I never imagined that I'd actually have to separate myself from them_, he thought.

"They'll be left in good hands. If you ever need to call upon them, just call Oak," Verde explained. He handed the Pokédex back.

Spade looked around once more and walked up to his Pokémon. "It looks like I have to send one of you away for awhile." He knelt down next to Spinarak. "Buddy, I'm going to send you to Professor Oak. I'll be getting you back in a bit, but I need the others right now so I can train them a bit more. You've been doing great lately." He returned Spinarak and pushed the button. The Poké Ball disappeared completely.

"He's with Oak now. We should get going to the class. There are some young minds that need taught," Verde suggested.

Abby then came out from the Pokémon Center, fully dressed.

The trio made their way down the street to a tall building. It was wide and there were many little kids running around. Verde greeted an older lady and they were invited into the building.

"Class, this is Verde, a former champion from the Indigo League. He's going to teach you a few things about your Pokémon today," the older lady announced.

"Hello, Verde!" The class said in unison.

Abby and Spade sat behind Verde and watched as he attempted to teach the young ones a few things.

"The first thing that people need to know whenever they are training Pokémon, is that Pokémon are not tools. They are your partners. Just because you caught them in a Poké Ball, doesn't necessarily mean that they'll listen to you right away, or even at all," Verde lectured. "It is a hard path to become a champion if you cannot comprehend this concept."

A little girl raised her hand. She had brown pig tails and a giddy smile on her face.

"Yes, the little girl in the front," Verde answered.

"How do you train a Pokémon that won't to listen to you?" She asked.

Verde smiled. "All Pokémon are different. There is no one way to train a Pokémon. Let's take Gyarados for example; you here in Mahogany should be familiar with that Pokémon. Gyarados are normally ferocious creatures, but that doesn't mean that all Gyarados are looking to hurt someone."

Another little girl raised her hand. Verde pointed at her.

"I want to pick a Cyndaquil whenever I get a chance to become a Pokémon trainer. What happens if a Cyndaquil isn't available?" She asked.

Verde smiled and rubbed the back of his head, thinking back to his childhood. "Trust me when I say this: it's best to not have your heart set on a particular Pokémon until you can actually see your three options. I learned that the hard way."

"Did you get the Pokémon you wanted?" A boy asked from the back of the room.

Verde nodded. "I had always wanted a Charmander. I actually ended up beating a very close friend to it. That friend was Azul, who ended up with the strongest Bulbasaur I've ever seen."

"You know Azul?" A boy questioned eagerly. Hands shot up from every direction in the room.

Verde closed his eyes, moaning quietly to himself, "Oh no. I just had to say his name!"

"Class! Class, calm down!" The teacher cried out. The class quickly calmed, and Verde was able to think again.

The same girl who raised her hand first, raised her hand again. "What's it like being a champion?"

Verde smiled. "It's by far one of the greatest feelings ever." He knelt down. "But you want to know what the greatest feeling ever is?"

The class moved in closer.

"Winning with the Pokémon that you worked with so hard to get there. It wouldn't have meant anything to me if I didn't use Pokémon that I loved," Verde told the class in a hushed tone.

"You could learn something from him, Spade," Abby muttered with a smile. Nika, her Eevee danced around in her lap.

"Hey, you know I'm getting better!" He snapped back.

"I have an idea!" Verde announced with a grin. "How about we have a battle demonstration?"

The class cheered loudly. Verde turned towards Abby and Spade. "We'll have my two assistants put on a battle for you!"

Spade glared at Abby. "It's about time that I put you in your place, Abby!"

"Watch it, Spade. I'll have to break your other arm!" Abby teased.

The class made their way outside to the play ground. It was a giant sandbox with slides and monkey bars scattered around it.

"This makes a different type of setting for a battle. Are you two ready?" Verde asked.

Spade and Abby nodded.

"C'mon out, Pinki Pie!" Abby called while she threw the Poké Ball into the air. Her Ponyta was revealed and the class cheered.

Spade grinned and threw a Poké Ball into the air. "Destroy her, Elekid!" Elekid materialized from its ball and began to twist his arms angrily.

"Begin!" Verde called out.

"Bounce!" Abby ordered quickly.

Pinki jumped into the air as high as she could. Whenever Elekid looked up, the sun hid the fire horse Pokémon.

"Use your Thunderbolt!" Spade commanded.

Elekid twisted its arms and shot out random bolts to no avail. Every single shot missed and Ponyta came crashing on top of Elekid.

"Now use Stomp!" Abby called out. Pinki lifted its hoof.

"I don't think so! ThunderPunch!" Spade snapped. Elekid's arm became surrounded with sparks before he jabbed it into Ponyta's hoof. Ponyta flew back but landed on its feet, safely.

"Flamethrower!" Abby ordered quickly as though there was no counter attack. Pinki opened up its mouth and let loose a smooth stream of flames. The flames quickly engulfed Elekid.

"Thunderbolt!" Spade said in desperation. Sudden bolts shot from the flames and destroyed them completely.

"Now Charge!" Spade told his Pokémon quickly. Elekid began to spin its arms, generating a light that glowed in his stomach.

Abby frowned. "Pinki Pie, use your Bounce one more time!" Pinki Pie shot into the air.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Flamethrower!"

Both Pokémon shot off their respective attacks, Pinki still in midair. The attacks clashed against one another, causing a small explosion to form in the sky. The kids cheered as smoke filled the air. It slowly dissipated until it was revealed that only Pinki Pie stood tall.

Verde grinned. "Elekid is unable to battle, therefore, Abby and Pinki Pie win!" The kids went crazy and ran around Pinki Pie to congratulate it.

Spade walked up to Elekid and pointed his Poké Ball at him. "You'll have to become stronger." The red beam returned Elekid into the Poké Ball.

Verde watched proudly as Spade did this. "It looks like he is already beginning to ease up."

**A/N We're back! Sorry for such the long update. I've been on a short vacation up in the mountains. I want to atleast update this story once more this week and twice this month. Be watching out for updates for all of our stories within the next week. I'd also like to thank all of our continuous readers! Pokestets, Wisdom Jewel, Electra Flare! You three are the joy of my fanfiction life!**

**Something mushy, but totally heterosexual! Johto Blue**


	22. The Icy Contest

It was the morning. Spade looked outside the window of the Pokémon Center, waiting for Verde and Abby to get back. Apparently they left him so they could go run a few errands. This didn't irritate Spade. He had liked being left alone at times. It wasn't long before Verde walked into the center and smiled at Spade.

"So, are we going back to Ecruteak now?" Spade asked. He was eager to face Morty again.

Abby shook her head. "I actually found out that there is going to be a Pokémon Contest today! I'm entering."

Spade hit his head against the wall. "Not another contest!"

"Spade, it's healthy for trainers to participate in battles, but it's not a bad idea to just watch. Being able to examine other people's battle styles and strategies can give you ideas to form your own," Verde explained.

Spade nodded and the group left for the contest hall. When they entered it, Abby made her way to the registration desk while Spade and Verde went to the stands to get good seats.

"So, I take it that you're not too fond of Pokémon Contests?" Verde asked. He folded his arms and watched as the tech crew set up the stage.

Spade glared at the stage. "I find that it is a weird way to show off your Pokémon. I'd never take part in it."

Verde shook his head. "I was just like you whenever I was your age. I always thought that Pokémon Contests were a waste of time. You do have to realize that this is special to Abby, though, and she needs your support."

"I never ask Abby to go to my gym battles," Spade snapped.

"Yes, but she does it anyways. You'll realize someday. Pokémon Contests aren't my cup of tea, but I learned to like them. After all, a very special friend became a coordinator awhile back," Verde explained.

The lights suddenly turned off and the contest began. Trainer after trainer came by, showing off their skills to the crowd. It wasn't until Abby came up that Spade actually showed any interest.

"C'mon out, Bing!" Abby called out while she daintily threw her ball into the air. The ball burst open and Bing danced out of it.

"Veno-nat!" Her purple bug-type called out.

"Use your Psybeam on the ground!" Abby ordered while she spun, her dress' skirt swirling around her.

Bing looked at the ground and her eyes lit up. A rainbow colored beam shot out of them and connected directly with the ground. The stage began to change color, turning into a beautiful purple shade.

Abby kneeled down and grabbed at boom box that she brought with her. She pushed the play button and Bing began to dance. Every time that Bing jumped into the air and hit the stage, it changed color.

The crowd clapped their hands to the beat, following the rhythm and Bing's every movement until finally Bing stopped and struck a dazzling pose in the middle of the stage.

"What an amazing show of music in Abby's appeal!" The first judge said with a smile. He was a man with a dark red suit with golden trim. His hair was black but graying on the sides. He had it slicked back nicely.

Mahogany Town's Nurse Joy clapped her hands together excitedly. "I'm going to be honest, I've never seen anything like this in an appeal!"

The third judge smiled. "It was by far one of the brightest appeals I've ever seen." He was a short judge; balding too. His suit matched his light brown skin by being a dark brown suit. A smile simply seemed painted on his face.

The crowd suddenly went nuts and Abby bowed her head in thanks.

Abby went to the back and rested for a little bit, watching each of the performances, waiting for the judges to post the results. She was almost positive that with the way the judges reacted, she would be moving on to the next round. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the results were up on the screen.

"These eight finalists will be going to the next round!" The announcer screamed. She held her hands up in the air and the high tech board brought up eight pictures of a few of the trainers. Abby, out of all thirty-four competitors, placed fifth in the appeals round.

"I did it!" Abby screeched happily. She grabbed ahold of Bing and danced around a little bit. "We're going to the next round!"

"And now for the next round!" The announcer's voice rang.

Abby looked at the screen and she was placed to battle first. Abby made her way to the battle platform, Poké Ball in hand.

The boy that stood across from her looked around the same age as her. He wore a green t-shirt and grey shorts. His hair was short, combed back, and blonde.

"This is our first, second-round battle between Abby Ling and Andy Falor! It will go on until either the time runs out, one's points run out, or one's Pokémon is unable to continue. Begin!" The announcer rang out happily.

The buzzer went off and the timer began to tick down.

"C'mon out, Sam!" Abby called out while daintily throwing her Poké Ball into the air. Her Bulbasaur appeared and stretched out his body.

"Saur!" He called out happily. It was awhile since he had a battle.

"Let's do this, Magby!" Andy called out.

A small red Pokémon appeared. It glared at Sam.

"We'll have the disadvantage if he's using a fire-type. We need to find a way out of it," Abby explained to Sam.

Andy glared. "Begin with your Fire Spin!"

Magby jumped into the air and released dazzling flames. The flames swirled as they moved towards Sam.

"Use your Vine Whip on the ground to avoid the flames!"Abby ordered.

Sam shot vines from his sides. The vines smacked against the ground and allowed him to jump into the air.

"Now use Pedal Dance!"

Pink flowers shot from the back of the bulb on Sam's back. They twirled around and encircled Magby completely.

"It looks like Abby and her Bulbasaur are really well coordinated," Verde noted aloud.

Spade nodded. "Sam was Abby's first Pokémon. She received him from Professor Oak."

Verde smiled. "The professor sure does know how to raise healthy Pokémon." He watched closely as Sam fell back to the ground.

Abby pointed at Magby, who was now dizzy. "Finish this with your Tackle attack!"

Bulbasaur leapt into the air and began to charge for Magby, but right before he reached him, Magby gained back its composure.

"Perfect! Magby, close-ranged Flamethrower!" Andy ordered.

Magby let loose flames from his mouth that engulfed the entirety of Sam's body. The flames quickly died down and Abby's Pokémon stopped in his tracks. He slumped down and winced at the pain that filled his entire body.

"Sam! No!" Abby screeched.

Andy grinned. "Now use your Fire Punch!"

Magby dashed for Sam, his fist covered with fire.

"Use your defensive Vine Whip!" Abby yelled desperately.

Sam began to spin, his vines spread around. The vines kept Magby at a distance.

"You have the advantage! Just grab ahold of the vines!" Andy commanded.

Magby tried just that. His hand began to glow with fire once more and he grabbed ahold one of the vines. Sam came to a halt and clenched his teeth together.

"Razor Leaf, now!" Abby ordered quickly.

Bulbasaur moved to his side and sent a multitude of leaves from the one side of his bulb.

"Avoid it!" Andy screamed.

Magby jumped into the air and did a front flip over Sam, still holding onto the vine. He flipped Sam over and slammed him into the ground. Both Pokémon took gaping breaths. Both were drained of most of their energy.

The buzzer went off. The contest match was over.

"It looks like we have a winner! Which pair will be going onto the next round" The announcer questioned to build up hype.

On the jumbotron above them, Andy's picture suddenly appeared.

"The winners are Andy and his Magby!"

Abby dropped to her knees. Her eyes never left the television screen. "No…"

**A/N Abby's first contest defeat! Isn't that great? No? It isn't? Well then... We decided to update again this week. Another update next week too! Hooray!**

**Until next time, Johto Blue**


	23. The Lesson

The three trainers all sat in the Pokémon Center. Abby had her head down in her lap; she didn't say a word to Verde or Spade since her loss.

Nurse Joy walked from the backroom to the lobby. She was holding Abby's Bulbasaur in her arms. "I've checked up on Sam, and he's going to be fine. You just need to give him a day of rest."

Abby reached out and grabbed Sam. He had a bandage on his cheek, but he still smiled. "I'm sorry for pushing you so far…"

"Bulba!" Sam said with a smile.

Abby began to tear up. "I'm so sorry!"

Verde patted her back. "I understand where you're coming from, but there is no reason to be sorry."

Abby looked up at him and more tears flowed from her shining eyes. "How would you know? You're a champion! I bet that you never lose!"

Verde sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Now, that is a new one. Usually I get the opposite from people because I lost to Azul."

"Is there anything that I can do for you, Abby?" Spade asked. It was the first time that he felt sorry for someone else than himself.

"No, Spade! Just leave me alone about it," Abby snapped. She pulled Sam closer.

"Sheesh… Mouh Mahn Taih, as you say," Spade replied. "I only want to help!"

"Oh, so now you try to care?!" Abby screamed.

"You two need to stop your fighting. Fighting will get you nowhere. Stopping and thinking about what you can do next instead of feeling sorry for yourself is your best choice," Verde snapped. "Take your losses and make yourself stronger. If I stopped and cried every time I lost, I would've never got to the champion level."

"Are you talking about –" Abby began.

"Yes. My loss to Azul, six years ago. I had to pick myself up and keep training. I had to take what made me lose and improve those weak points. Sitting around was not an option. Getting out there and training was my only option. I know what it feels like to lose. I definitely know what it feels like to keep that loss forever," Verde explained.

"So, then what are our weak points?" Spade asked timidly.

"Spade, you rely solely on power. You have so much faith in your Pokémon's strength that it is almost hard to watch. I love to watch a strong Pokémon, but whenever there is no strategy, there is no chance in winning," Verde lectured.

Spade nodded. _So, I just have to work with my strategies. For some reason, I knew this. I've always tried to power my way through._

"What about me?" Abby asked. She seemed in a better mood than she was before.

Verde grinned. "It's funny—you are the exact opposite of Spade. You have so many strategies in your head that it is incredible. Using a Vine Whip attack as a defensive method whenever you had Sam spin around was fantastic."

"But –" Abby tried.

"But, you're lacking what Spade has. Your Pokémon are under-trained. They have a great trainer, but like most coordinators, you try to be more flashy than anything else. While that will easily get you through the first round, battle rounds will be hard without any training and toughening up," Verde told her in a stern voice.

"So, what is your advice exactly?" Spade asked impatiently. "What do you want us to do?"

"You need to work on your weak points," Verde repeated. "I've arranged for a match for you tomorrow, Spade. You'll be going against the Mahogany Gym Leader, Pryce."

"Pryce?" Spade wondered. "But I thought that my next gym challenge would be my rematch against Morty!"

"There is no need to dwell on that. You were beaten by Morty because you weren't prepared for Morty. I have to tell you, he's one of the more challenging gym leaders in the whole region. I'm not saying that Pryce will be a piece of cake, but I'd like to think of it as a _training session_ for you," Verde explained. He was only confusing Spade even more.

"How do you figure that it will be similar to a training session?" Spade asked.

Verde grinned. "Battling in Pryce's gym is one of the most difficult challenges that any trainer has to face. I know that you could easily outmatch him with strength. He is an ice-type gym leader, and I know that your Monferno or Machoke could take him. However, his gym is basically a giant obstacle course."

"So, it's the gym itself that makes it a challenge?" Abby asked. "What makes it so hard?"

"The gym is covered in ice. If having to deal with the cold isn't enough, the floor is all ice. One wrong move and you could be finished," Verde told them. He stood up. "I want you to prepare for your next battle."

Spade nodded. "Got it. It shouldn't be too hard to beat an ice-type gym leader."

"What about me?" Abby asked. "I want to get stronger too."

Verde moved and waved to something outside the Pokémon Center. "It may be a little bit early, but I have a training partner for you."

The Pokémon Center doors opened, and Andy, from the contest, entered. "How's it going, guys!"

"Just thinking about my loss. Trying to get better," Abby explained. She was slightly intimidated by him.

Andy smiled. "I was surprised whenever Verde approached me and asked me to help you."

"What did you place in the contest? We left after Abby lost," Spade asked. He had wanted a match with Andy after he had defeated Abby, but he didn't want to admit it outloud.

"I lost in the next round. I guess that we both still need training," he replied. "Are you ready to go and do this?"

"What? Right now?" Abby asked. She looked down at Sam. "Are you sure?"

Verde began to walk towards the back room. "I'll meet you guys at the Pokémon Center's battlefield. It'll be a two on two battle, by the way."

"You ready for this?" Andy asked. He began to follow Verde.

_Andy lost, but he seems fine. It's as though nothing even happened. He only wants to keep training_, Abby thought.

"Yeah! Let's do this!"

The trainers quickly went to the battlefield and set up for their battle. It was a breezy day and a few storm clouds were painted in the sky.

Verde stood on the referee stand and raised his hands. "This will be a two on two single battle between Andy and Abby. Begin!"

"C'mon out, Axew!" Andy called. He threw his Poké Ball into the air and a small green Pokémon with tiny white tusks appeared.

Spade grabbed his golden Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon. "Axew, the Tusk Pokémon. Axew marks its territory by making scratch marks on trees with its tusks, which will grow again if they fall out."

"You hear that, Abby! Watch out for its tusks!" Spade warned. "You better not lose to this guy again."

"I won't!" Abby looked at Nika, who was resting on her shoulder. "You ready for a battle?" The brown Pokémon nodded and jumped off of her shoulder. He growled at Axew.

"You can have the first move," Andy offered.

Abby didn't even hesitate. "Use Dig!"

Eevee jumped into the air and quickly disappeared underground. All was silent.

"I want you to have your Slash attack ready!" Andy told Axew. Axew shifted back his body and readied his claws.

"Swee!" The Eevee called out before coming out of the ground behind Axew. Axew immediately turned around and slashed for Nika.

"Close-ranged Shadow Ball!" Abby called out.

A dark, shadowy ball formed at Nika's mouth. The slash connected directly with it before it could be formed all the way. It caused a small explosion and sent both Pokémon into the air.

"Nika!"

"Axew!"

"This is getting interesting," Verde noted.

"Use your Aerial Ace!" Andy called out.

With a quick move of its body, Axew was flying towards Nika. It's body was covered with blinding white streaks. The two connected in mid-air, and Nika was shot to the ground. Axew landed perfectly on the ground and roared into the air.

"It's going to be hard to beat Andy if she doesn't come up with something quick," Spade murmured. "Nika just isn't strong enough."

"Use Slash!" Andy ordered.

Axew ran for Nika, his claws glowing slightly.

Abby smiled. "Sand Attack!"

Nika dug two of her paws into the ground and quickly forced them out, causing dirt to fly into the air and into Axew's face. Axew suddenly stopped moving and tried to get the dirt out of his face.

"What? No!" Andy called out in anger.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Abby ordered.

Nika shot from where he was and collided with Axew. Axew shot from across the field and past Andy. He landed onto a bench and rolled onto the ground. Axew could no longer continue.

"Axew is unable to continue! Nika wins this round!" Verde announced.

Andy lifted his hand that held his Poké Ball. The red stream returned Axew, and Andy turned back to the battle. "That was an awesome technique that you pulled there. I need to watch out for that this time." He grabbed another Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "C'mon out, Gligar!" A purple Pokémon with blue wings appeared. It floated above the field but slowly glided back down to the ground.

"Gligar!" It called out angrily.

"Gligar, the FlyScorpion Pokémon. It flies straight at its target's face then clamps down on the startled victim to inject poison." Spade's Pokédex read aloud.

"Gligar, use Acrobatics!" Andy commanded quickly.

Gligar disappeared then reappeared quickly. It was jetting towards Nika at an almost unmatched speed.

Abby had a counter though. "Quick Attack!"

Nika darted from her position and dashed for Gligar. Gligar was too fast though. He grabbed ahold of Eevee's leg and tossed him into the air.

"Finish this with X-Scissor!" Andy called.

Gligar used its tail as a spring to jump into the air. It bounced over Nika and crossed his arms. He quickly sliced at Nika and sent the small Eevee back to the ground. Nika crashed hard.

"Nika is unable to continue! Gligar wins this round!" Verde announced. He rose one hand into the air to mark Nika's loss.

It started to sprinkle rain from the sky slowly.

Abby ran out onto the battlefield and grabbed ahold of the knocked out Eevee. "You did a great job. That speed was too much though…"

Spade walked up to Abby and grabbed ahold of Nika. "Beat him, Abby," Spade said.

Sam walked up next to Spade and growled towards Gligar.

"Are you wanting to battle, Sam?" Abby asked. Sam nodded and jumped onto the battlefield and readied itself.

The rain was now falling harder than before. No one cared though. Everyone was too focused on the battle to care.

"Sam, use your Razor Leaf!" Abby quickly said. The Bulbasaur let loose razor sharp leaves from each side of his bulb. The leaves jutted forward towards Gligar.

"Dodge it with Acrobatics!" Andy ordered before any leaf could reach his side.

Gligar maneuvered throughout all of the leaves and darted for Sam.

Abby reacted quickly. It was like she was one step ahead of Andy. "Catch him with your Vine Whip!"

Sam quickly snapped out his vines and grabbed ahold of Gligar. He threw Gligar into the air and off balance. Gligar flipped through the air.

"Gligar!" Andy cried.

"That was awesome!" Spade cheered.

"Bulba!" Sam cried.

He crouched his head and began to absorb what little light was left from the storm. The bulb on his back began to glow.

"Gligar, use your Guillotine," Andy ordered.

Gligar regained his composure and crossed his arms. He began a dive back down to the earth.

Seconds before Gligar could reach Sam, Sam released a strong beam from his bulb. The beam connected with Gligar directly and sent him into the air. Gligar crashed to the ground and refused to get back up.

"Gligar is unable to continue! Sam wins this round along with Abby!" Verde announced happily.

"We did it!" Abby cried out happily. She jumped into the air and grabbed ahold of Sam. "You also learned a new move!"

Verde grinned. "It looks like she had the power all along. She just needed to find it."


	24. The Icy Gym Battle

"So, are you ready for your match today?" Verde's voice echoed through the hallway of the Pokémon Center.

He entered into the bedroom and Spade was putting on his black shirt to the best of his abilities. Since he broke his arm, simple things, like putting on a shirt, have been a challenge. Spade knew he could ask for assistance, but then he'd feel helpless. He buttoned up his turtleneck and grabbed his Poké Balls.

"I'm as ready as I'm going to get," Spade replied. "Where is Abby?"

"She told me she had to go grab a few things from the town's market. She'll meet up with us at the gym," Verde explained. "Now, about the gym, do you have a strategy?"

Spade nodded. "You said that the gym is pretty much coated in ice everywhere, right?"

Verde nodded then put his finger in the air. "With that in mind, I would prefer it if you didn't use your Monferno or Machoke. I know how much you like to use them."

"I wasn't planning on it. I'm taking your advice and using Pokémon that aren't as experienced as the others," Spade told Verde with a grin. "But I'm also not going to let myself lose another match. I've lost three matches in a row; I won't let it be four."

Verde closed his eyes. "Almost everything that you say reminds me of myself at your age. I always had to find a way to make myself stronger." He patted Spade's shoulder. "Now, let's get going!"

The two left the Pokémon Center and made their way to the gym. The path there was going to be a small one. Mahogany wasn't exactly a huge town, but it was spread around a lot of space. Trees filled most of the area. Before they could enter into the gym, a familiar face came running down from the road.

"Wait! Wait up for me!" Abby called. She was holding onto a grocery sack. "I got you a few things for good luck today."

Spade turned and forced a smile. "Cool. What are they, and why did you get me something?"

"I'll tell you whenever you win your match!" Abby said. She swung the bag in front of his face. "And I got it because of your support from yesterday. It made me realize that we're actually friends now."

Spade sighed and chuckled. "I was only cheering you on because if you would have lost to him again, that would've meant that I would be weaker than him. After all, I lost to you the day before."

Abby frowned. "What? Really?"

"Now, now…" Verde began. "Can we just go in and bicker later?"

Abby took a deep breath. "Well, then you better win today! I don't care what your excuse is. You still cheered for me."

"Then, let's go!" Verde said happily. He pushed the doors open and a sudden chilly breeze flew from the gym and sent goosebumps down everyone's spines.

"Verde!" A voice rang from the gym. The three trainers entered and an older man greeted them. He had white hair and a warm smile. He wore tan shorts and a yellow Hawaiian styled shirt. "It's good to see you again."

"Pryce, I'd like you to meet my two trainees. This is Spade and Abby," Verde said, introducing the two trainers.

"Trainees?" Spade mumbled. _What a weird word_, he thought.

"Yes. I saw Abby perform the other day. I do have to say that, you put on a fantastic performance. I'm sorry about your loss," Pryce told Abby.

"Today, Spade will be challenging you to a gym battle. I figured that it'd be a good way to bring up his spirits since he's had a lot of losses lately," Verde declared.

Spade glared at him. "Yeah. , if you'd be willing to accept my challenge."

"Of course! I'm a gym leader. It is my duty to test your abilities as a trainer. Does two Pokémon each sound fair to you?" Pryce asked.

Spade nodded and everyone made their way to their respective areas. Spade had given Verde his Poké Balls for the Pokémon that he didn't plan on using just incase he felt tempted to use them in the battle. Verde and Abby were offered coats so they wouldn't freeze while they watched.

"This will be a two on two single battle between challenger, Spade and Gym Leader, Pryce. The battle will be over whenever all of one side's Pokémon are incapable of continuing! Begin!" The referee announced.

"C'mon out, my old friend, Dewgong!" Pryce called. He threw his Poké Ball into the air and the light blue Pokémon emerged. It landed into a small puddle of water that was built just for water-types in the gym.

Spade had his Pokédex ready. "Dewgong, the Sea Lion Pokémon and the evolved form of Seel. Its streamlined body has little drag in water. The colder the temperature, the friskier it gets."

_If that's the case, then this ice water should get it riled up pretty good. This could be bad_, Spade thought.

"So, what is your Pokémon of choice? The look on your face gives off the feeling that you're not prepared for this," Pryce taunted. He crossed his arms and laughed.

Spade grinned. "No, I am ready. I was just thinking up a way to get through that ice." He grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "C'mon out, Flareon!"

"Flare!" His Pokémon cried out. It felt at the cold ground and growled.

"This is an odd scenario. Dewgong is dual typed, being both water and ice while Flareon is a fire type. You have to wonder what Spade will do," Verde noted.

Abby frowned. "But what about the water attacks that Dewgong can perform?"

"All gym leaders have to be prepared for their weakness to come up. Dewgong is more than likely prepared for a fire-type," Verde explained.

"As the challenger, you have the right to the first attack," Pryce revealed.

"Alright then. Flareon, Flamethrower!" Spade commanded.

Flareon jumped into the air and blew a smooth line of flames from his mouth towards Dewgong.

"Dive, Dewgong!" Pryce commanded quickly.

Dewgong dove into the water, avoiding the attack. The fire actually caused some of the ice to melt and cause more water for Dewgong to battle in.

"That's not going to work!" Abby yelled.

"Dewgong, use your Ice Beam!" Pryce ordered.

Dewgong popped up from out of the water and a light blue, scattered beam shot from his horn.

Spade had a response though. "Quick Attack to avoid it!"

Flareon darted from side to side and avoided the attack completely. The ice collected at the back of the gym, behind Spade.

"Now, Fire Spin! Burn this place down!" Spade ordered.

Flareon jumped into the air and let loose flames from his mouth. The flames swirled around the gym and melted a lot of the ice. Flareon landed on a small island of ice, and it splashed around crazily. He looked a bit dizzy from all of the power he just used.

"What a stupid tactic! You know that Flareon won't be able to attack very well if it has no ground to fight on!" Pryce called. "This is battle suicide! You might as well just give up!"

"Never! Flareon, Shadow Ball!" Spade called out. He laughed slightly at the way Pryce was freaking out.

Flareon jumped from his flimsy island and into the air. A small aura-like ball formed at his mouth.

"Counter with Ice Beam!" Pryce commanded before the ball could finish forming.

As soon as Flareon reached a good enough distance to fire, both Pokémon released their attacks. A small explosion ensued and both Pokémon were flung back. Whenever the smoke cleared, it was revealed that the ice beam caused some more ice to be formed on the field. Both Pokémon were unconscious.

The referee held his flags into the air. "Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This battle ends in a draw! Both trainers have only one Pokémon remaining! Resume!"

Pryce lifted his hand and returned Dewgong back into its Poké Ball.

"That was a pretty gutsy move you pulled there. I'd still like to know what you were doing though," Pryce said.

He threw another Poké Ball into the air and a giant brown Pokémon with two white tusks appeared.

"Piloswine!" It called out angrily. It stomped and caused a few cracks in the ice.

"Piloswine, the Swine Pokémon and the evolved form of Swinub. Because the long hair all over its body obscures its sight, it just keeps charging repeatedly," the golden Pokédex read aloud.

Spade threw a Poké Ball into the air. It popped open and a giant Pokémon was revealed. It was his newest capture, the red Gyarados.

"So, it is true. You caught the red Gyarados," Pryce said in awe. "That is pretty amazing of you. Simply capturing a Gyarados is a feat, but a red one at that…"

"Gyarados is a Shiny Pokémon just like my Vulpix," Abby said with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, but it was forced into evolution which caused the pigments of its skin to not change. It is still the color or a normal red Magikarp. I don't know if I could classify it as a Shiny Pokémon," Verde replied while crossing his arms.

A sudden bustling movement caught his attention from his pockets. He reached into them and grabbed out two of Spade's Poké Balls.

Verde smiled. "This is going to make Spade happy," he mumbled to himself.

"Gyarados, Dragon Rage!" Spade ordered quickly.

A green ball formed inside of Gyarados' mouth. It was a fiery ball that intimidated Piloswine slightly.

"Dodge, then respond with Ice Shard!" Pryce shouted. He seemed more calm and collected than from the first roun

With incredible speed, Piloswine avoided the Dragon Rage. He bounded towards Gyarados and jumped into the air. An icy boulder was formed in the middle of his white tusks. The ice shot quickly and made direct contact with Gyarados.

"Gyarados!" Spade cried out while Gyarados sank into the water. All looked lost in just a split second.

Piloswine landed on the ice and it shook the battlefield slightly.

"This isn't over yet. Wait for it to come back up, then use Mud Bomb," Pryce ordered.

Gyarados exploded out of the water. He roared into the sky angrily. Piloswine quickly formed another ball in the middle of his tusks. This time, it was made out of mud. He shot the mud at Gyarados, pelting the giant Pokémon in its chest area.

Spade watched as Gyarados fell again. He had nothing that he could tell Gyarados to do. Piloswine looked like he had victory already planned out.

Spade said the first thing that came to mind. "Hyper Beam!"

Gyarados took a deep breath and let loose a brightly colored beam from his mouth. The beam tore up the ice that surrounded Piloswine. The attack missed completely but shortened the area where Piloswine could move around.

"Let's try our Ice Beam, Piloswine," Pryce called out calmly.

He placed both of his hands on his cane and held onto it tightly.

"Dive into the water!" Spade ordered.

Gyarados quickly dove into the water, avoiding the oncoming attack from Piloswine. More of the water froze over but it didn't matter. It was on the opposing side of the battlefield.

Spade grabbed his Pokédex and scanned over Piloswine once more.

_It is a dual type, eh?_ He thought.

"Gyarados, use your Splash!" Spade ordered.

Verde looked at Spade in shock.

"What? That will literally do nothing!" He said angrily.

"Are you stupid?" Abby asked.

Gyarados, once more, came out of the water. This time, it dove right back in, but sideways. It caused a small tidal wave to emerge. The tidal wave engulfed Piloswine, and did nothing but made him wet.

"What is your plan?!" Pryce asked angrily.

"Just watch," Spade replied.

He pointed at Piloswine, who was actually shivering.

"Piloswine, finish this off with Earthquake!" Pryce ordered.

Piloswine lifted its leg slowly but suddenly froze. It couldn't move at all. It blinked and cried out desperately.

"Piloswine?!" Pryce called.

Spade grinned. "You don't mess with me! Gyarados, Hydro Pump!"

Gyarados emerged from the water and blew an amazing amount of water from his mouth. The water knocked into Piloswine and sent him flying. Piloswine knocked into the edge of the field and fainted.

"Piloswine is unable to continue! Gyarados is the winner which declares Spade as the victor!" The referee announced. He raised his flag towards Spade.

Two red streams returned both Piloswine and Gyarados. Pryce sighed and made his way over to Spade's side of the field. Verde and Abby met him there too.

"You actually beat me. That was some fancy battling right there. I never knew that I would have been beaten by a Splash attack," Pryce complimented.

Pryce held out a light blue gym badge. "Here this is the Glacier Badge. You definitely earned it."

Spade grabbed the gym badge and held it high. "Finally!"

"That isn't the only surprise," Verde said. He held out Spade's Poké Balls. "Why don't you go ahead and release these two."

Spade grabbed them and threw them into the air. Machoke and Haunter were revealed.

"Machoke!"

"Haunter!" They both cried in unison. Suddenly they began to glow and take their next form.

"What the—?" Abby asked.

"You see. Machoke and Haunter evolve whenever they can feed off of another trainer's energy. They fed off of mine and have chosen to evolve," Verde explained.

"Machamp!"

"Gengar!"

"That's amazing," Spade said.

He grabbed ahold of his Pokédex and scanned both Pokémon.

"Machamp, the Superpower Pokémon and the evolved form of Machoke. It quickly swings its four arms to rock its opponents with ceaseless punches and chops from all angles," the Pokédex read aloud. "Gengar, the Shadow Pokémon and the evolved form of Haunter. It steals heat from its surroundings. If you feel a sudden chill, it is certain that a Gengar appeared."

"That is amazing!" Spade said enthusiastically. "My team is getting so much stronger!"

"It can't only be your team that gets stronger. You'll have to toughen up too, for the Pokémon," Verde coached.

Abby held out her grocery bag. "I bought a Rage Candy Bar for each of us. I figured that after a tough battle, everyone would enjoy one."

Spade grabbed ahold of one and looked at the wrapper. "Chocolate… Bleh…"

**A/N So, if you're keeping track, that was Spade's fourth gym badge! His next gym battle will be in Chapter 30. We have another contest coming up with surprise returning OC's.**

**Sorry for the really late updates, JohtoBlue**


	25. The Disaster Pokemon

With a new gym badge, the capture of a new Pokémon, and two newly evolved Pokémon, Spade is elated with his experiences in Mahogany. The trio is now on their way back to Ecruteak, where Spade will once again face Morty.

"I've gotta say, we've only been together for about a week now, but I see a lot of improvement between the two of you," Verde complimented. "You both just need to keep it up."

Abby nodded. "You can really see improvement in Spade, not only in battling skills, but in his attitude too!"

"What do you mean by that?" Spade snapped.

Abby and Verde laughed. Spade couldn't tell what it was, but he actually enjoyed traveling around with the two of them.

The three continued and almost didn't say a word. Whenever the three came to a small river, it was decided that they'd take a break to eat. Verde set up for a picnic while Abby brushed her Pokémon and Spade gave his Pokémon a pep talk.

"So, as you can see, Machoke and Haunter have evolved," Spade announced to his Pokémon.

All of the Pokémon cheered. Elekid was the only one that didn't seem to happy with the announcement.

"Bee!" It cried out angrily at Machamp.

"What is it, Elekid?" Spade asked.

"It wants to be stronger. It told Machamp that whenever it is stronger, it'll take Machamp on and win," Verde explained.

_This guy is amazing. Can he actually tell what Pokémon are saying? Or is it something more? _Spade thought.

Spade knelt down and held out his fist towards Elekid. Elekid punched his fist against Spade's.

"You'll get stronger. I'll make sure of that. In my next battle, you're my first pick," Spade told his Pokémon.

A sudden blast of wind blew over a few of the Pokémon and trainers.

"What was that?" Spade screamed.

"Look!" Abby cried out while pointing up the small mountain.

The trainers and Pokémon looked up into the air. On top of a small rock was a Pokémon. It had white fur and a dark blue face. It stood on all four legs and a blade seemed to be coming out of its head.

"What is that?" Spade asked. He pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it.

"Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. It has the ability to foretell natural disasters. Its life span is over a hundred years," the Pokédex read aloud.

"Natural disasters?" Verde mumbled.

He looked behind Abby and noticed that a tree was beginning to crack. The river had eroded over it for awhile not, and it seemed that the tree's time was up. It began to fall. Verde ran and grabbed ahold of Abby. He threw her out of the way and stood in falling distance of the tree. A sudden popping noise sounded and the tree was destroyed. Whenever Spade looked around, he noticed that Verde's Charizard, Charger, had destroyed the tree completely.

"Verde, thank you," Abby groaned. She was out of breath because she had thought her time was up.

Verde dusted off his jacket. "You don't thank me. You should thank Absol." He pointed up at the Pokémon. Absol stared down at them with cold eyes. It began to turn away from them.

"Absol!" Abby cried. "Thank you!"

Absol jumped into the air and disappeared on the other side of the small mountain. Abby gave chase. She grabbed all of her Poké Balls and took off after the Pokémon.

"Abby!" Spade yelled.

Verde followed her and Spade was left alone with his Pokémon and the picnic. No one bothered to help him clean it up.

Absol ran into a wide and open field. The wind blew a slight breeze that caused the grass to flow. Absol stopped and locked eyes with Abby.

"Absol, thank you," Abby repeated.

Absol nodded.

"Are you alright?" Verde asked. He was out of breath.

Abby pulled out a Poké Ball. She threw it into the air and Sam popped out.

"Bulbasaur against Absol? Are you planning on capturing Absol?" Verde asked.

Abby didn't answer. She had a wicked smile on her face like she has been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Sam, Vine Whip!" Abby called out. She had determined eyes.

Sam let loose two vines from the sides of his bulb. The vines raced for Absol who prepared himself for damage. It jumped into the air and let loose a fierce gust of wind from the blade was connected to his head. The wind slammed into the vines and forced them back. Sam flew into the air a bit.

"With an attack like Razor Wind, Sam could be at a disadvantage," Verde noted. "You have to think strategy here!"

"Sam, use Tackle!" Abby ordered.

Sam darted for Absol. It jumped into the air to slam its body into Absol's, but Absol suddenly multiplied. The multiple Absol surrounded Sam. Sam looked around confused. Absol suddenly lunged from the circle and bit onto one of Sam's hind legs.

"Petal Dance!" Abby screamed out of desperation.

Bulbasaur began to spin around with pink leaves following his movements. The leaves smacked into Absol and caused it to retreat slightly. Sam and Absol locked eyes.

"Use your Solarbeam!" Abby called.

Sam shifted back and began to absorb sunlight into the tip of his bulb. Absol noticed this and charged up an attack at the tip of his blade. Both Pokémon let their attacks release, and they collided. It caused a small explosion of dust into the air. Whenever the dust cleared, Sam lay on the ground.

"Sam, no!" Abby screeched. She ran out into the field and grabbed ahold of her Pokémon. Absol looked at her and began to run away again.

"Looks like Absol is pretty strong," Verde commented.

"Finally!" Spade screamed while he ran up into the field. "I finally caught up to you. He dropped the picnic objects on the ground and glared at Verde. "You made it! You carry it!"

Abby took off once more. She refused to let Absol out of her sight.

Verde smiled at Spade and ran after Abby. Spade stomped his feet to the ground, and grabbed the picnic bag. The two trainers chased after Abby.

Abby and Absol were almost out of sight, but Abby never let Absol leave her eyesight. They reached a small cavern with a bunch of rocks and stones around. Absol finally stopped and turned to try to battle again.

"You ready for this?" Abby asked. Absol nodded, and Abby threw another Poké Ball into the air.

The small yellow fox Pokémon with six tails appeared. "Vul!" It cried out.

"Shin, use your Flamethrower!" Abby ordered.

The shiny Vulpix opened his mouth and let loose smooth flames. The flames soared towards Absol.

Absol jumped over the flames and darted quickly for Shin. It crashed into Shin and sent him skidding across the gravel.

"Get up, and try your own Quick Attack!" Abby called out.

Shin stood up quickly and shot from his position. He collided with Absol and caused Absol to shift back slightly. Without much hesitation, Absol sliced its knife towards Shin.

"Close-ranged Ember!" Abby desperately called out.

Shin released dozens of small scattered flames out of his mouth. The flames hit Absol's blade but didn't do much. Absol's blade connected with Shin and sent him into the air. Absol jumped into the air, its blade glowing.

Verde and Spade finally made it to the battle. They prepared to watch its final moments.

"Fight back with Iron Tail!" Abby screamed.

Shin flipped his body, his tails glowing white, and smacked Absol square in the face. Absol shot down to the ground and smashed into a small boulder. The battle was over.

Abby reached for a Poké Ball and threw it at the grounded Absol. The ball connected and its red light absorbed the Pokémon. The ball shook for a few moments before letting out a soft _ding_. Abby had caught herself an Absol.

"Yyyesss!" Abby called out happily. "I did it! I caught an Absol!"

"Well wouldn't you look at that?" Verde said with a smile on his face.

Spade clapped enthusiastically. "I could've caught Absol and made it a great fighter…"

"I did it! I did it!" Abby chanted.

Spade suddenly felt something cold on the back of his neck. He turned to find the Misdreavus that had been following them, looking deep into his eyes. He stopped for a moment before it screamed loudly. He tumbled and fell down the cliff slowly, covering his arm to make sure no more damage was done.

Abby stopped chanting and frowned at Spade. "What's wrong?"

"That _thing!_" Spade growled, pointing at Misdreavus.

"Misdreavus!" It called while dancing. It disappeared and all was quiet.

Abby suddenly started up again. "I caught a Pokémon! I caught a Pokémon!"

"Geez… This is going to be a loooong trip," Verde muttered.

**A/N A chapter focusing on Abby?! She needed this chapter to bring in her newest Pokemon. What do you think of Abby's new Absol? Do you think that he could do well in contests? I'll remind you that some guest appearances will happen soon! Who do you think they'll be?**

**A/N 2 I plan to update the stories at different times during the weak. You should expect two updates per weak from two different stories. Don't know how it's going to happen though! I just suffered a minor concussion, and I can't write too much because of it. Makes my head hurt!**

**Something about love and how mine is directed towards you, JohtoBlue**


	26. The City of History

The three trainers walked out of a small building which connected Route 42 and Ecruteak City. They had finally made it back.

"We're here! Now let's get to my rematch with Morty!" Spade said enthusiastically.

"Already? We just got here. I suggest doing something fun," Verde said in a joking tone.

"Fun?" Spade replied in a disgusted tone.

Abby grinned and flipped through her guidebook. "There are lots of things to do in Ecruteak! We could go to one of the towers and do some sight seeing."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Verde agreed. "What do you think, Spade?"

Spade shook his head. "I have a gym battle waiting for me! I'll be going to the gym. You two can go and waste time."

He then turned and ran away from the duo. He was determined to battle and beat Morty as soon as possible.

"Mouh Mahn Taih," Abby mumbled. She turned to Verde. "You ready to go?"

Verde nodded and the two made their way towards the towers.

"How about the Bell Tower first?" Verde suggested.

Spade ran through the town until he found the gym. He remembered the exact spot it was from the last time he saw it. He walked near the sliding doors but nothing happened. Whenever he looked inside the gym, it was black inside.

"Gym's closed, boy," an older man snapped at him.

"Wh-what?!" Spade asked angrily. "How?!"

"Morty went off to the towers today to do a few things. He said he won't be reopening the gym for awhile," the old man replied.

"The towers?" Spade mumbled to himself. "Thank you!" He yelled at the old man before running off again. He darted off towards the direction of the towers. You could see them from anywhere in the city, so they weren't going to be hard to find.

"So, what is the Bell Tower's importance?" Abby asked while they entered a temple.

"Seven-hundred years ago, the two towers were built to foster hope and friendship between humans and Pokémon. It is said that a long time ago, Bell Tower was the resting place of Ho-Oh," Verde explained.

"That's really interesting," Abby replied.

The two trainers came to an old man wearing a robe. He sat in a chair next to a door which would lead them closer to the actual tower.

"Verde, it's been awhile!" The old man exclaimed. "Who might this be?"

"This is Abby. She's currently one of my trainees," Verde told the man.

"Ah! Training with others before the big day, eh?" The old man asked with a smile.

"Big day?" Abby asked under her breath.

Verde nodded. "I guess that's one way to put it. Are we allowed to go in?"

"Yes. Yes. Anything for you, Verde. Just try not to break anything," the old man chuckled.

"Gotcha!" Verde said. He pushed open the wooden door and the two trainers found themselves outside again.

"What did he mean by 'big day'?" Abby asked.

"This area is called Bellchime Trail. It's for people to pull in the view before they go into the actual tower itself," Verde explained, ignoring her question entirely.

Abby looked around and smiled at the scene. There were trees everywhere that created a path to the giant tower. The trees were blooming even though it was winter. Scattered leaves fell from the trees and covered the path, only adding more to the scene.

"It's beautiful!" Abby exclaimed happily.

"I figured that you may get some inspiration for your contests by seeing this. C'mon, we should get to the tower now," Verde said while motioning for the tower.

Spade ran towards the tall tower but stopped whenever he came across burnt remains of what looked like what was once a tower. He looked up and read a sign that read "The Brass Tower".

"So this is the famed Burned Tower, eh?" Spade thought aloud. "Morty would probably like this tower better because of the creepiness." He ran into the entrance of the tower and looked around.

The floors looked damage and like they could break at any moment. There were designated walking areas though for tourists. Verde followed the walk areas until he came to two statues of Pokémon. He tried to read what the description said for each Pokémon, but it was faded.

"You wondering who those two Pokémon are?" A familiar voice asked.

Spade jolted around and locked eyes with… who he wasn't looking for.

"It's been awhile since we've seen you," the girl said. "Spade, wasn't it?"

Spade nodded. He couldn't recall the names. One was a girl and the other a boy. The girl looked a couple years older than Spade with brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. She wore a black blouse with white jeans and was topped of with a black baseball cap. The boy looked the same age as Spade and wore a red shirt along with black shorts and brown short hair. A shadowy figure was behind him with an evil smile.

"You don't remember us, do you?" The girl asked. "It's Juno and Alex. I had a battle with you in Azalea."

"_And with that, let's begin!" Juno called while tossing two Poké Balls into the air. "Let's go Zeus and Daphne!" A fat blue crocodile Pokémon popped out of one the Poké Balls while a green reptilian Pokémon emerged from the other._

"_I'll go with Machop and Haunter!" Spade cried while tossing both of his Poké Balls into the air. His grey Machop and purple Haunter appeared out of their balls, ready to fight. "Machop, Low Sweep Grovyle and Haunter, Thunderbolt Croconaw!"_

_The leaf on Grovyle's arm lit up and the grass-type swung its arm for Machop while Machop smacked his rough hand into Grovyle. Both attacks bounced off of each other and the Pokémon retreated a few feet to give themselves some distance._

_Croconaw's tail turned a blue-ish color before water swirled around it, giving its tail a whirlpool effect. Croconaw swung its tail while Haunter jabbed its ghostly hand at Croconaw. Just like before, the attacks connected and a slight explosion emerged. Both Pokémon were flung back but both stood strong._

_Grovyle dashed for Machop while Spade's Pokémon grabbed ahold of Croconaw. Machop lifted Croconaw into the air and did a flip but before he could connect with the ground, Grovyle released a plethora of golden seeds from its mouth. The seeds connected with both airborne Pokémon and they flew higher. Machop and Croconaw crashed into the ground, both unable to continue._

_Juno's eyes went from determined to desperate, "Grovyle, use your Mega Drain! Fight back with all that you got!" Grovyle struggled but pointed its arm towards Haunter and a green energy emerged that connected with Spade's Pokémon. The energy seemed to start to sap the energy from Haunter but both Pokémon were definitely worn._

"_Haunter, use your Shadow Punch!"_

"_I don't think so! Grovyle, Leaf Blade now!"_

_Haunter's hands went from pink to shadowy before she thrust it towards Grovyle who darted for Haunter to get in close range. Grovyle sliced at Haunter while Haunter's fist connected in Grovyle's abdomen. Both Pokémon were flung back and finished._

"_Maybe we'll see you two again some other time! Then we can have another battle?" Juno suggested while extending her hand for Spade to shake._

_Spade took a close look at her hand then grasped it. "I'll accept your challenge, but next time, I refuse to lose. I wish for you the best…"_

"You're that girl that I lost too," Spade said with a cocky grin. "What a fluke that was."

"You didn't lose. We tied," Juno said with her own smile.

"So, what are you doing here in the Burned Tower?" Alex asked.

Spade began to look around again. "I'm actually looking for someone. I have an important battle due."

"Is that all you do, battle?" Juno asked. "You sure have a tight schedule."

"My Pokémon need to be as strong as they can be. Battling is one of the best ways to make them stronger," Spade explained.

"That is obvious," Juno said. She approached the statues. "Aren't these beautiful?"

"Entei and Raikou. They're legendary Pokémon. It is said that whenever this tower was set aflame they were born. There is a third one, but its statue isn't here," Alex told Spade.

"Legendary Pokémon? Those are top notch. It would be awesome to capture a legendary," Spade noted.

"Yeah, but it's nearly impossible. You would have to be a very skilled trainer to do so," Alex replied.

Spade scowled. "I am a good enough trainer to capture a legendary Pokémon."

"So, how about that battle?" Juno asked.

"I don't know. I can't find the guy-" Spade began.

"Not that battle! Our battle. We agreed that we'd have a rematch if we ever met up," Juno explained. "If you can't battle the guy you're looking for, then battle me."

"I'm sorry, but you're not going to give me a gym badge if I win. I need to find this guy and get my gym badge," Spade said. He began to walk towards the exit of the Burned Tower.

"Then, we'll just follow you!" Juno exclaimed. She ran after Spade as he left the building.

Verde and Abby entered the tower. It was beautiful inside. Statues of Pokémon were along the walls along with beautiful black bells that hung from the ceiling.

"We can't go much farther than this but you can always look at these statues. They would only trust me up on any more floors," Verde told Abby.

Abby looked at the different statues of Pokémon and awed at their craftsmanship.

"Aren't these wonderful, Nika?" Abby asked her Eevee.

"Swee!" He replied happily.

"I know, right?" Abby told her Pokémon as though she actually understood what he was saying.

She eventually came across a giant golden statue of a bird. The bird had a big bushy tail and wide spread out wings.

"That one is Ho-Oh. Since the Brass Tower caught fire 150 years ago, Ho-Oh ran away. The natives of Ecruteak made this statue in honor of the legendary Pokémon," Verde explained.

"It'd be great to see it in real life," Abby said.

"The chances of that happening are very slim," a voice boomed from behind them.

They both turned and noticed that it was the blonde gym leader, Morty. He wore tan shorts, a black shirt and a purple scarf.

"How's it been, Morty?" Verde asked. He approached the gym leader and shook his hand.

"Not as exciting as what I heard happened to you at the Lake of Rage," Morty said with a smile. "You'll have to share all of that information later."

"Hey, if you're not here then I wonder what Spade is doing?" Abby wondered aloud.

"Spade? How's the little red head doing?" Morty questioned.

"He's as fired up as ever. As soon as we got into town, he raced over to challenge your gym," Verde laughed.

"Oh, well I'm sorry to say that he won't be getting his challenge any time soon," Morty said in a kind of disappointed tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Abby asked.

"Well, it's the time of year that Ecruteak celebrates a lot. So, I shut down the gym temporarily to partake in the festivals," Morty explained.

"Isn't a gym leader suppose to tend to their gym at all times?" Abby questioned.

"Not necessarily. Gym leaders have lives too," Morty replied.

A sudden crashing noise caused each of the trainers to flinch. Whenever they looked from where the crash came from, Spade was running at them.

"Morty!" He called out angrily.

"Stop him!" The old man from before screamed. Juno and Alex stood behind him.

"Hey, what's up, Spade?" Morty asked jokingly.

"I challenge you to my rematch, right now!" Spade demanded.

"No can do. I have other things that I need to do," Morty replied.

"What do you mean?" Spade questioned with a disappointed look on his face.

"Ecruteak is holding a festival, and Morty is helping them run it," Verde explained.

"But, what about our gym battle?!" Spade screamed.

"It'll have to wait until after the contest," Morty said.

"Contest?!" Abby interjected. "There is going to be a contest?!"

"Yeah. It is even sanctioned by the contest league, so if you win a ribbon there, it counts," Morty said with a smile.

"Alright, but promise me that right after the contest, we'll have our battle," Spade told Morty.

"First thing the next morning," Morty said with a smile.

**A/N Haven't updated in a long time. I apologize for that. We've had a few issues with computers and what-not. I'm barely aloud enough time to even get on. Thanks to all two of you who are still reading!**


	27. The Fiery Festival

The festival finally began. All through the night, music and lights filled the air. People danced, children rode on the Ferris wheel and other rides that were brought in, and trainers mingled amongst each other, looking for battles.

"Are you at all going to enter the small Battle Tournament?" Juno asked Spade. "They'll be giving out candy to whomever wins."

They sat together on a bench while Abby, Verde, and Alex all rode a ride.

Spade shook his head. "There is no use entering a small battle tournament. I bet that everyone in the tournament are weaklings. No use in battling weaklings."

"Oh. So you're taking a break from battling for a bit, or what?" Juno wondered.

"Nope. I'm just saving my battle for Morty. I want my Pokémon to be in their best shape," Spade explained.

"But while you don't train, he only gets stronger, right?" Juno asked.

_Morty isn't going to be training during the festival. He said he was taking a break. We'll both retain our levels if I look at it like that_, Spade thought.

The ride finished circling around and everyone was let off. Verde stumbled out and waved at Spade and Juno. Alex quickly ran over to a trashcan, and Abby walked over to the duo.

"Why don't you ride any rides, Spade?" Abby teased. "You too scared?"

"I have to plan out my strategy! If I ride any rides, then I won't be focusing on the bigger picture," Spade snapped.

"You're going to be entering into the contest, aren't you?" Juno asked Abby.

Abby nodded. "Yep! I hope to win my fourth ribbon!"

"I'll be entering it too. I figured that I'd give it a try," Juno exclaimed. "What about you, Spade?"

Spade shook his head angrily. "No! I refuse to become a fruitcake!"

Alex waddled his way over to group. He had a napkin placed over his mouth. "I need some water, guys."

"I'll take you," Abby told him. She pulled him over to a food stand.

"So, what exactly are you and Abby?" Juno asked Spade. "Are you guys just friends or something more?"

"Something less. We're only together on this journey because we have a common enemy," Spade explained.

"Something less?" Juno mumbled.

Just then, Verde sat himself next to Spade.

"You need to loosen up, buddy!" He told him goofily. "You're taking this upcoming gym battle way to serious! You have a few days to relax!"

"I suggested that he should do the contest, but he won't," Juno added.

"It's not my thing," Spade murmured.

"Are you going to be in it?" Juno asked Verde.

Verde shook his head.

"Why not?" Juno whined.

"Not my thing," Verde laughed.

Spade stood up and began to walk away. He stuck his hands in his pockets and held his head low.

"Where are you going?" Juno asked.

"I'm going to the Pokémon Center for some silence," Spade told her. He eventually blended in with the crowd and disappeared from view.

Juno shook her head. "What an odd boy."

"He has a weird style to him. You just gotta give him time though," Verde stood up from the bench. "I'm gonna go leak the Lapras, if you know what I mean?"

Juno gave him a confused look, and with that, Verde stumbled off.

Verde finally left the festival. He could still hear the music though. It bothered him. He hadn't been at a festival in his whole life. The concept of 'fun' wasn't something that he was used to.

"Mag…" Something cooed from far away.

Spade looked up and saw a red and yellow Pokémon slowly walking its way over to him. He had a cocky look on his face.

"Magmar!" It said.

"Lookin' for a battle?" Spade asked. He turned away. "Sorry, but I'm trying to save all of my Pokémon's strength for the time being."

He tried to walk away, but the Pokémon let loose a smooth blast of flames towards him. Spade avoided them and glared at the Pokémon. He quickly grabbed for his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

"Magmar, the Spitfire Pokémon and the evolved form of Magby. It dislikes cold places, so it blows scorching flames to make the environment suitable for itself," Spade's golden Pokédex announced.

"I see how this is going to go," Spade said. He grabbed a Poké Ball and released a Pokémon.

"Bee!" His Elekid called out.

"Try a Thunderbolt!" Spade ordered.

Elekid crouched his body and released a multitude of sparks. The sparks flew and connected with Magmar. Magmar took the hit but somehow broke it. It sucked in air and released another smooth set of flames towards Elekid.

"Light Screen!" Spade yelled.

Elekid reached out his arms and a green protective veil was formed. The fire crashed against it and Elekid was pushed back slightly.

A few onlookers stopped their activities and began to watch the battle. Spade didn't notice though.

"Mommy, why are they battling?" A young girl asked her mother.

"This is usually to either test out a trainer's Pokémon's abilities or to attempt to capture the Pokémon," the mother explained.

"Use your Thunderpunch!" Spade commanded quickly.

The veil broke and Elekid charged, his arm covered in electrical bolts. He lunged forward and punched Magmar in the face. Magmar stumbled back but quickly regained its composure. It looked at Elekid and pointed behind the yellow Pokémon. Elekid looked back, and Magmar smashed his fist into Elekid. Elekid flew back and landed on the ground in front of Spade.

"That was a cheap form of Faint Attack! How dare you fall for that!" Spade scolded.

Abby, Juno, Alex, and Verde all rode on the Ferris Wheel. They were able to see the whole city once they reached the top.

"Isn't this great?" Verde said while he marveled the beautiful view.

"Makes me kind of sick again," Alex mumbled.

Juno poked Abby's shoulder and leaned in closer to her. "Hey, so what do you think of Spade?"

Abby smiled. "He definitely needs a haircut."

"Not that!" Juno laughed. "I mean, what are your feelings for him?"

"We're just friends if that's what your implying," Abby replied with a suspicious look on her face.

"Just friends?" Juno asked herself, recalling what Spade had said before.

"So, you wouldn't be bothered if he asked me out on a date?" Juno asked.

Abby gave her a puzzled look. "I don't know… I don't even think that he would consider it. He honestly has a battling mind, and that's it."

Juno sighed.

"Hey, guys, look!" Verde told them while he pointed out towards the distance.

The girls looked over and noticed that there were lights flashing from outside the festival. Alex put his head between his legs and tried not to look out.

"A Pokémon battle?" Abby and Juno wondered.

Elekid got back up and glared at Magmar.

"Go in with a Thunderpunch, but I want you to use your Low Kick," Spade told Elekid.

Elekid, once more, charged into battle. He jumped into the air to punch Magmar in the face. Magmar completely avoided the attack and tried its own variation of an elemental punch. Elekid ducked and kicked at Magmar's legs. Magmar stumbled but regained its balance quickly. Magmar turned and blast another hot stream of fire. The fire crashed into the ground where Elekid stood. Elekid fell back and stood up slowly.

"Bee!" He cried out angrily before he started to glow a white color.

The crowd now tripled. People were forming a circle around the battle.

"Electa!" Elekid's new form called out.

Spade scanned the new Pokémon.

"Electabuzz, the Electric Pokémon. Electricity runs across the surface of its body. In darkness, its entire body glows a whitish-blue," the Pokédex read aloud.

"Your attacks should be stronger now!" Spade said.

"Electa!" He cried out, ready to battle more.

"You can do it, Electabuzz!" Someone cheered from the crowd.

Verde and group finally joined the crowd. The pushed themselves towards the front and were able to get a good view.

"Looks like Elekid evolved," Abby noted.

Verde nodded. "I don't know what it is about that kid, but he can bring out evolutions in any Pokémon."

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!" Spade ordered.

Electabuzz sent out a strong electrical surge from his body. The surge connected with Magmar and the Pokémon crouched down in pain.

"Finish this with your Thunderpunch!" Spade commanded.

Electabuzz charged his fist and smashed it into Magmar's face. Magmar fell onto the ground, limp.

"Shows him for messing with me," Spade spat. He pulled out his Poké Ball and returned Electabuzz. He turned to walk away, but then took note of the whole crowd.

"Capture it!" Someone called from the crowd.

"Capture it! Capture it!" The crowd began to chant.

Spade looked back at the beaten Pokémon. It was breathing hard and he almost felt sympathy for it. He walked up to it and kneeled down.

"If you fight hard, I will train you. You have to promise me that you'll fight hard though," Spade told it.

"Mag…" Magmar replied, nodding weakling.

Spade pulled out a Poké Ball and pressed it against Magmar. The Pokémon was absorbed into it and the signature ding sounded immediately.

The crowd went nuts. It was as though Spade was some kind of star. The began to swarm closer in to Spade. Verde noticed this.

"He won't like that!" He ran into the crowd and shield Spade. "Hey! I'm a former champion!"

"Oh…" The crowd mumbled. They all began to ask Verde for autographs.

"Get out of here," Verde told Spade. "Go get your rest! We'll meet you at the Pokémon Center later."

Spade grinned and ran off. In little time, he was at the Pokémon Center and asleep.

Spade floated around in darkness. He looked up and noticed a red spot. It was getting closer to him until he could finally figure out what it was. It was the 'R' from Team Rocket.

"No!" Spade screamed. "Get away from me!"

He looked around and could see Team Rocket everywhere. The members all prepared to battle. Spade reached for his Poké Balls, but none could be found.

"It's over for you, Spade," a voice called from the distance. Spade looked over and saw his older brother, Giovanni.

"Giovanni!" Spade screamed angrily. He ran towards his brother but some grunts got in front of him.

"Giovanni!" Spade screamed while he woke up in the Pokémon Center's bed.

He looked around, his face dripping with sweat. A sudden sharp pain covered the entirety of his broken arm. He grabbed at it and held it close to his body.

"I swear… One day, I'll find you and pay you back for what you did," Spade mumbled.


	28. The Ghost City Contest! Part 1

The trainers made their way for the Dance Hall. The contest would be held in there in an hour, and Abby, Juno, and Alex had to prepare for the upcoming appeal rounds.

"So, how do you feel?" Verde asked Abby.

"I just hope that it doesn't turn out like last time. I'm confident that I'll do better," Abby replied with a smile.

Verde nodded. "You just stay calm. This will be a different environment that you're used to. The appeals need to be different."

"I know. I'll do the best that I can," Abby said.

With that, Verde left the backroom and joined Spade in the crowd. It wasn't nearly as crowded as a normal contest. There were only two judges instead of the normal three.

"Attention! Can I have your attention please?" A voice called out. The crowd directed their attention to the carrier of the voice. It was a beautiful raven-haired lady dressed in a purple kimono. She had an Espeon standing near her. "My name is Sayo, and I'll be your announcer for the evening. Like all contests, we will be having an appeal round. But instead of just one round, we'll be having two! The second round will also be having a 'special' condition to it. Now, let the contest begin!" She ran away from curtain while it opened. Small fireworks shot into the air and the dance halls roof opened. It was one of the most amazing sights that Spade had seen.

"First up, David Russo from Olivine!" Sayo announced.

Abby in the back was having a bit of trouble getting herself together. "If I make it to the second round, then they'll throw something new at me. I have to be careful!"

"You have to make it through the first round to make it to the second round," Juno told her. "You got this!"

After a few people got done with their appeals, it was Alex's turn to try out his appeal. He ran out onto the stage and tossed a Poké Ball into the air.

"C'mon out, Gastly!" Alex called.

His small, round, purple Pokémon appeared. It stared down the crowd before Alex tossed a yellow top hat into the air. Gastly raced for it, and it landed on his head.

"Gastly, dance!" Alex ordered.

Gastly did just that. He began to twirl around and dance. The crowd laughed at his goofiness. He stuck out his tongue and began to spin on it. The crowd continued to laugh.

"What a wonderful display of who your Pokémon is," the first judge complimented.

The other judge nodded. "Sometimes, we just need to see a Pokémon have fun. Thank you for this performance."

Alex bowed and ran to the back with Gastly.

"You did great!" Juno said as he came back.

"I'm a little shaken up, but I think that it worked overall," Alex replied. He was almost breathless.

"After this guy, it's my turn," Juno informed him. She ran out and waited behind the curtain.

"And now for our next contestant, Juno Rafe!" The announcer screamed to the crowd.

Juno ran onto the stage and tossed her Poké Ball into the air and her Croconaw appeared. It looked strong as ever.

"Time to show me what you can do, Juno," Spade said to himself.

"Zeus, use your Water Gun into the air!" Juno commanded.

Croconaw did just that. The water that was into the air began to fall as thought it was rain.

"Now, Superpower!" Juno said.

Before any of the water could hit the ground, Croconaw began to glow a slight blue. It shoot up all of its stored power into the air. The rain drops were completely blow up, appearing to look like small fireworks.

"That was pretty cool!" Verde said. He clapped along with the rest of the crowd.

Spade crossed his arms. "Fairies…"

Abby approached the curtain. She held tightly onto her Poké Ball. It's felt like an eternity since she won her last ribbon in Goldenrod. This was her chance to redeem herself though. Juno ran through the curtain and smiled at Abby before she ran to the locker room.

"Now it is time for our final contestant! Give it up for Abby Ling!" Soya announced. The crowd went nuts at the words.

Abby walked out slowly. She grinned then bowed for the crowd. She opened up her palm and let the Poké Ball pop open by itself. Her Ponyta, Pinki Pi appeared. Abby walked up to Pinki Pi and hopped on her back. Pinki began to run around the stage, picking up speed as she ran.

"Alright, use your Fire Spin!" Abby told her.

Ponyta released flames into the air. They formed a circle and Pinki Pi jumped threw it.

"Keep it up! Let them get higher!" Abby ordered.

Pinki Pi kept blowing circles in the air, jumping through each one that she made. She eventually made one that was straight into the air.

"Bounce," Abby said calmly.

Pinki shot into the air. She went through the ring of fire and above. Whenever she fell back down, she smashed into the fire, causing a similar look of fireworks. She landed on the ground and struck a dazzling pose.

"That was fantastic! Words can't really say how I feel. The connection with your Pokémon is fantastic," the first judge critiqued.

The other judge nodded. "It love to watch the interaction between people and Pokémon. You did a wonderful job."

Abby returned Pinki and ran back to the locker room, where the results began to roll on the screen.

"Out of all of the competitors, only eight make it to the next round. If your attention could be on the screen. We will now show who will be moving on!" Sayo announced.

She motioned towards the screen and eight cards appeared on it. They began to flip over one by one until everyone was revealed. Alex, Juno, and Abby had made it!

"Yes!" The three of them said altogether.

"Congratulations to these fantastic coordinators. Now, it is time for your second round! As we promised you, there is a special surprise for making it into this round. Normally, you'd appeal with only one Pokémon. In the second round, your appeal will be a double appeal!" Sayo informed the coordinators and their Pokémon.

"What?!" Abby yelled. "How are we suppose to be prepared for that?!"

"They're testing us! We can do this though!" Alex told her.

Juno nodded. "C'mon, Ling! I'd like for us to battle."

"Let's do this!" Abby said. "It looks like you'll be up first, Juno."

With that, Juno ran out of the locker room and towards the stage. She only had a few seconds to decide what she could do with her Pokémon, but she knew that she'd be able to come up with something.

Before the contest, she told her Pokémon to be ready to work together, just in case.

"C'mon out, Magmus and Zeus!"

Croconaw made his reappearance while a Quilava appeared. Spade recognized the Quilava from his last battle with Free.

"Magmus, Flamethrower!" Juno ordered.

Quilava lifted his head and released a smooth set of flames from his mouth into the air.

"Now, Zeus! Use your Water Gun!"

Croconaw also shot a smooth stream of water into the air. The water fell back to the stage, as though it was rain. The fire followed and steam filled the air.

"Flame Wheel!" Juno called.

Magmus shot through the air, his body on fire.

"Superpower!"

Croconaw ran into the middle of the stage. His muscles bulked up slightly and he stuck out one arm. Quilava fell on Croconaw's flattened hand, still spinning. Croconaw was able to show his power while Quilava showed his speed. The crowd went crazy.

"What a wonderful way of showing both Pokémon's strengths," the first judge praised.

"They also put on a great show!" The second judge added.

Juno bowed and returned her Pokémon. She took off for backstage. She passed Alex and gave him a thumbs up.

Alex ran onto the stage. The crowd cheered because his last performance went off pretty well. He tossed two Poké Balls into the air. One revealed his Gastly and the other revealed a purple butterfly.

Spade pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

"Butterfree, the butterfly Pokémon and the evolved form of Metapod. It collects honey every day. It rubs honey onto the hairs on its legs to carry it back to its nest," the Pokédex chimed.

"Alright, Butterfree! Take to the sky!" Alex ordered. He turned towards Gastly. "Gastly, use your Shadow Ball!"

Gastly laughed and began to form a purple ball in front of his face. He shot the ball into the air.

"Butterfree, use your Gust!"

Butterfree flapped its wings as hard as it could. A strong wind was created that caused the Shadow Ball to swirl around.

"Destroy it with Aerial Ace!"

Butterfree suddenly turned for a dive. It smashed into the ball and destroyed it completely. The remains rained down from the sky, causing a purple dazzle through the air.

Butterfree flew down and perched itself on Alex's head. Gastly floated near him, letting himself spin playfully.

"I was expecting something like your last appearance. I'm actually happy that you showed off your Pokémon's skills instead," the first judge said.

"I love the variety of personalities that your Pokémon have," the other judge added.

Alex smiled and waved away to the crowd. He ran to the back and met up with Juno and Abby.

"You did a fantastic job!" Abby praised. "I know for sure that you're going to the next round."

"All that you have to do is make it!" Juno told Abby.

The group watched the others perform, waiting for Abby's turn.

"This is an odd scenario," Verde noted.

"What about is odd? Besides all of the fruitcakes dancing around," Spade asked rudely.

Verde laughed. "Imagine if the three of them make it to the next round. If that's the case, then no matter what, in the first round two of them will be paired off."

"Things will actually become interesting, in that case," Spade remarked.

"Next up, Abby!" Sayo screamed into the microphone.

"Let's get to it, Shin, Pinki!" Abby called.

Both of her Poké Balls flew into the air daintily and her Pokémon were revealed. One was her shiny colored Vulpix, Shin and her reappearing Ponyta, Pinki Pi.

"Double Fire Spin!"Abby ordered.

Both Pokémon stayed stationary. They opened up their mouths and released a swirl of flames. The flames clashed together and shot into the air. A flaming dragon was formed who flew into the air. It exploded and began to rain fire.

Pinki and Shin walked to the middle of the stage. Shin jumped on top of Pinki Pi's head. He stood tall and proud.

The crowd went nuts at the very festive style of fireworks.

"This was definitely one of the most festive appeals. For that, it will hold something dear to my heart. There did seem to be missing something though," the first judge declared.

The second judge nodded. "Definitely the most beautiful of all the appeals today. But all of the beauty of the moves took away from the actual Pokémon. We'll have to see how things turn out."

Abby bowed and turned back to leave. Her Pokémon followed. She clenched her fists and began to shake. Another loss couldn't do it for her. If she couldn't move onto at least the battle rounds, then would she even be cut out of contests?

As soon as she stepped foot into the locker room, she was greeted by Juno and Alex.

"Your appeal was amazing!" Alex said.

Abby shook her head. "But it wasn't a great review all around. That's never a good sign."

"Don't worry about it!" Juno replied. She punched her lightly on the shoulder. "You've definitely made it with the way the crowd reacted."

"Now if you'd bring your attention to our screen! We will now be selecting our four coordinators who will be moving on!" Sayo announced.

Four card appeared suddenly. They flipped over one by one. Alex was revealed first, an unknown girl was revealed second, and Juno was third. The fourth card seemed to have taken forever to flip over.

Abby clenched her fists hard and waited for it to flip over. She gasped while it began to flip slowly, revealing who moves on next.

**A/N The next chapter will wrap up this contest, then the chapter after that will wrap up the first "season". Because of a few personal and tech issues, updating has been hard. I know that only about three people actually read the story, but still. I may go back and edit the first few chapters of this series just for fun. I'll tell you guys if I do that. I've kind of been in a writing rut. For any of you that care, I'm currently in the process of writing a comic book with a group of friends. We may or may not post pictures some place. I appreciate all of my friends here on fanfiction. You guys are really my motivation for me to keep writing! Keep me motivated.**

**I'm lonely and pathetic, JohtoBlue**


	29. The Ghost City Contest! Part 2

The card flipped over and it was revealed to be Abby. She had made it to the next round! She jumped into the air and grabbed ahold of Pinki and Shin. She was so proud of her Pokémon.

"I was so scared," she told them while tears poured down her face. "I thought that we may have messed up again!"

"You haven't won yet. They're about to announce the next round's matchups," Juno told her.

Abby looked up to the screen, and the four cards began to shuffle. They were placed an a small tournament bracket. Juno was placed next to the unknown girl and Alex and Abby were paired up in the second match.

Alex smiled at Abby. "You ready for our match?"

"I'm as ready as I'm going to get!" Abby replied.

Juno walked over to her next opponent. She stuck out her hand. "Good luck in our match!"

"I don't need luck! You better bring your best if you want to stand a chance!" She snapped. She had long, curly, blonde hair with red ribbons tied in it. She wore a red, sleeveless dress.

"Well, I figured that I—" Juno began.

"Shut up! I'll see you out there!" She stormed out the room and Juno was left confused.

"What a rude girl," Juno mumbled.

"Sometimes they'll be like that," Abby responded. "You should get out there. Win it for us!"

Juno nodded. "I'll be seeing one of you two in the second round." Juno ran out of the locker room and down to the stage. The television turned back to the contest from their commercial break. Juno stood on one side of the field while the rude girl stood on the other.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Juno Rafe from the Kanto Region and Brittany Cummings from the Sinnoh Region! The battle will end whenever one of the contestants Pokémon are unable to battle, time runs out, or a competitors points run out!" Sayo announced like a referee.

"C'mon out, Hephaestus!" Juno called while she tossed her Poké Ball into the air.

A red lizard-like Pokémon with the tip of its tail on fire emerged.

Spade pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokémon. It is very hot-headed by nature, so it constantly seeks opponents. It calms down only when it wins," the Pokédex announced.

"Honchkrow!" Brittany screamed.

Her Pokémon emerged and landed on the ground. It glared at Charmeleon mischievously.

"Honchkrow, the Big Boss Pokémon. It is merciless by nature. It is said that it never forgives the mistakes of its Murkrow followers."

"Finally, the battle round," Spade commented. "I get to see what Juno is really made of."

"I heard that you ran into her before. You had a battle, I take it?" Verde asked.

Spade simply nodded, and everyone focused on the upcoming battle.

"Start with your Dark Pulse!" Brittany ordered.

Honchkrow flew into the air. He opened his mouth and black waves shot from his mouth.

"Fight back with your Flamethrower!" Juno called.

Both attacks clashed in the middle of the stage. The destroyed each other, but both Pokémon still stood tall.

"Steel Wing," Brittany ordered calmly.

"Counter with your Metal Claw!" Juno shouted.

Honchkrow flew into the air. His wings turned a metallic color and he dove for Charmeleon. Charmeleon stuck out his claws and they also turned metallic. As soon as Honchkrow's wings reached Charmeleon, he grabbed ahold of them and threw Honchkrow into the ground.

"Ember!" Juno called.

Hephaestus lifted his head and shot a multitude of red specks from his mouth. The specks collided with Honchkrow's back and sent him retreating into the air in pain.

"Don't take that! Fight back with your Dark Pulse!"

"Counter with your Flamethrower, once more!"

Both attacks collided in mid-air again. It caused smoke to fill the air. Honchkrow quickly flew around the smoke and used Steel Wing to send Charmeleon skidding across the field.

"That was a dirty trick!" Juno snapped.

Brittany simply smiled. "Night Slash!"

Honchkrow dove once more for Hephaestus; his claws were covered in a shadowy aura.

"Wait for the right moment, then use your Fire Fang!" Abby ordered quickly.

Charmeleon braced himself before flames burst from his mouth. He latched his flaming jaw onto Honchkrow's claws. Honchkrow squealed in pain and flew into the air.

"Now, Flamethrower!"

Charmeleon released flames from his mouth in mid-air. The flames engulfed Honchkrow, causing him to fall towards the ground, Hephaestus with him. They both smashed into the ground and slowly stood up.

The buzzer went off and everyone fixed their attention on the screen. With 1 minute and 23 seconds left, Juno had knocked down all of Brittany's points.

"It looks like Juno has done it! With all of the counter attacks and the daring move at the end, Juno has been able to move onto the next round!" The announce screamed into the microphone.

"We did it!" Juno screamed happily. She ran onto the field and gave her weakened Charmeleon a hug.

"Char…" He said calmly.

Brittany held out her hand and returned her Honchkrow. "You got lucky! I won't forget this!" She snapped before running towards the exit.

"She did it!" Alex cried out happily.

"I guess that one of us will be seeing her in the finals," Abby noted.

Alex smiled but looked nervous. "I… I guess that I just have to beat you!"

"It'll be fun!" Abby replied.

Juno walked into the locker room and wiped sweat off of her forehead.

"That girl was intense!" She exclaimed. "It looks like you two are up next."

The two nodded and walked calmly down the hallway. Alex was shaking. It was as though he was nervous about his battling skills. He was perfectly fine with the performance round.

"How often do you battle?" Abby asked.

Alex shook his head. "Not very often… I'm freaking out!"

"Mouh Mahn Taih," Abby chimed.

"What does that mean?"

"Take it easy! We'll just have a fun match."

The two entered the stage and found their ends of the field.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Alex Elm and Abby Ling! The battle will end whenever one of the contestants Pokémon are unable to battle, time runs out, or a competitors points run out!" Sayo reminded the crowd.

"Let's do it, Poliwhirl!" Alex called while tossing his Poké Ball into the air.

A round, blue and white Pokémon emerged. It's belly had a black spiral on it, and it had two white boxing-styled gloves for hands.

"Poliwhirl, the Tadpole Pokémon. The swirl on its belly subtly undulates. Staring at it may gradually cause drowsiness," The Pokédex read.

"Abby better watch out for that," Spade noted.

"I wonder what Pokémon she'll be using," Verde wondered.

"You're on, Rin!" Abby shouted. She daintily threw a Poké Ball into the air and her newly caught Absol appeared.

Absol looked around the stage and seemed to enjoy the energy that came from the crowd.

Poliwhirl struck a fighting pose and waited for the signal to be given.

The buzzer quickly went off, and everyone prepared.

"Begin with your Water Gun!"

"Turn those tides with Razor Wind!"

Poliwhirl jumped into the air and released a thin stream of water from the mid-section of his belly. Absol braced himself and launched a white beam of energy from the blade on his head. The white energy smashed into the Water Gun, and the attacks exploded. Water fell from the air, causing a rain effect.

"What a wonderful way of turning Poliwhirl's attack against him!" Sayo's voice screeched from the speakers.

"Charge in there for your Water Pulse!" Alex ordered.

"Wait for it, then use your Double Team!"

Poliwhirl ran towards Absol with his arms up in the air. A blue ball was forming in the middle of his palms. Whenever he was preparing to attack, a multitude of Absol encircled him.

"Get rid of them with Double Slap!"

Poliwhirl, systematically, began to slap away at the different Absol clones. Every time he would hit one, they would easily dissipate. Poliwhirl finally reached the real Absol, and slapped him away, skidding back to Abby.

"Rin!" Abby cried out.

"Now do your Water Pulse!" Alex quickly called, not wanting Absol to get back up.

Poliwhirl reformed the water ball in the middle of his hands. He threw it on the ground which caused it to explode. A small but strong tide raced for the grounded Absol.

"Get up! Use your Night Slash!" Abby screamed.

In a split second, Absol shot up and slashed at the small wave. He ripped a opening in it that he could jump through.

"Now, Quick Attack!"

Absol leapt through the opening. He raced for Poliwhirl and smashed into him. Poliwhirl flew back and hit the wall. He fell limply to the ground.

"Poliwhirl!" Alex cried desperately.

"Is it over for Poliwhirl?" Sayo asked, trying to build more suspense.

Suddenly, Poliwhirl started to move. He stood up slowly and struck another fighting pose.

The buzzer went off, startling the crowd. Everyone was too into the battle to be watching the time count down.

"Time's up!" Sayo announced.

Both of the trainer's eyes were averted to the screen. Abby's picture flashed on there, signaling that she had won.

"Abby did it! In one of the most fantastic battles I've seen in a long time, Abby Ling and her Absol, Rin, have won! That means that in the finally round, Abby will go against Juno!" Sayo screamed.

Alex knelt down next to Poliwhirl. "You did your best, buddy! Next time, I know that we'll easily win."

Abby walked up to Alex and stuck out her hand. "That was an awesome battle. I had a lot of fun. I honestly thought that you would have beaten me."

Alex shook Abby's hand. "Good luck in your next match. I hope that it is as exciting as this one was."

The two trainers went back to the locker room while they prepared the stage for the next battle. Sayo tried to pump up the crowd, and each trainer gave their Pokémon a little bit of rest.

"That Absol is really fast. If we want to win, we have to catch it," Juno told her Charmeleon in a hushed tone.

"Charmeleon is strong. If we can avoid getting hit and do fast, strong attacks, we can win this!" Abby coached.

"Char…"

"Absol."

"If Abby and Juno would make their way to the floor, we can get this battle rolling!" Sayo called.

Abby and Juno both walked down the hallway. They didn't say a word to each other, nor look at each other. They reached the end of the tunnel and waited for Sayo to finish her introductions.

"Hey, Abby."

"Yeah?"

"How about whoever wins this, gets to go on a date with Spade?"

"What?!"

"Now let's see our finalists!" Sayo announced, finishing her speech.

Abby and Juno ran out onto the stage, taking opposite sides.

"This will be a one-on-one battle between Juno Rafe and Abby Ling! The battle will end whenever one of the contestants Pokémon are unable to battle, time runs out, or a competitors points run out!" Sayo reminded the crowd once more.

"Let's go, Hephaestus!" Juno called. Charmeleon made his second reappearance.

"Win it for me, Rin!" Abby yelled. Absol appeared and struck an intimidating pose.

Alex found a seat next to Spade and Verde in the crowd.

"What are your predictions, guys?" He asked them.

"The way that they both battle, it could be a coin toss to decide who wins. Absol was really strong whenever Abby had tried to capture him, so that can factor in," Verde explained.

"What about you, Spade?" Alex asked.

Spade shrugged. "I'd like to tell you who I think is going to win, but I'd rather keep my thoughts to myself and just watch the battle."

"Let's begin!" Sayo announced.

"Rin, Razor Wind!"

"Hephaestus, Fire Spin!"

Absol leapt into the air and let loose energy from the blade on the side of his head. Charmeleon released spiraling flames from his mouth. Both attacks collided and caused smoke to fill the stage.

"Don't wait! Use your Metal Claw!" Juno ordered.

Hephaestus jumped into the smoke and hacked away. It was as though he knew where to go. Absol flew from the smoke, cringing slightly.

"Now, Fire Fang!" Juno's voice called.

Charmeleon jumped from the smoke, his jaw on fire.

"Double Team!" Abby ordered quickly.

Before Hephaestus could reach Absol, he multiplied. The clones appeared in random places all around the battlefield.

"I know how to handle this one! Use your Fire Spin!" Juno ordered with a grin.

Hephaestus began to spin while releasing more flames from his mouth. The flames encircled him and spread. Every single one of the Absol clones were destroyed until Rin was thrown back.

"Quick Attack!" Abby called.

Rin shot towards Hephaestus at an incredible speed.

"Metal Claw!" Juno ordered.

Charmeleon's claws turned a metallic color. He clawed at the ground and did an uppercut to Rin as soon as he was in fighting distance. Rin flew into the air.

"Rin!" Abby screamed.

"End this with your Flamethrower!"

"Counter with Razor Wind!"

Hephaestus built up energy in his stomach and released a smooth, but strong, set of flames from his mouth. They raced quickly for Absol.

Absol's blade began to glow white. He twisted around his head and flung the energy towards the flamethrower. Both attacks fought at one another until Charmeleon's Flamethrower overcame the Razor Wind. The flames continued and struck Rin. Rin fell to the ground and could no longer stand.

The buzzer went off, signaling the end of the match.

"Oh no…" Alex murmured.

"Rin couldn't get around to actually attacking. Juno knew that she had to strike fast if she wanted to win," Verde noted.

"She still has a lot of work with that Absol," Spade added.

Abby walked onto the battlefield and knelt down next to Absol.

"You did your best, Rin. We'll just have to try again someday," she said. She lifted her Poké Ball and returned Rin into it. "You take your rest."

Juno walked up to Abby and patted her shoulder. "That was intense, Abby. You'll be a great coordinator one day."

Abby stood up and wiped her tears away. "Thank you, Juno." She gave her a hug and the crowd cheered.

* * *

><p>"So, you guys are leaving now?" Verde asked Alex and Juno who had their things packed up.<p>

"Yeah, I only have a few weeks left in Johto before I'll be going back to Kanto. I figured that I need to get in a little bit more sightseeing and training," Juno explained.

"We'll miss you guys," Abby told them with a smile.

"We'll miss you too!" Alex replied. "Even you, Spade."

"Shut up…" Spade mumbled. He grinned mischievously.

"Spade," Juno said quietly. She walked up to him and grinned.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Good luck in your gym battle," she leaned forward and gave him a tight hug.

He had a look of disgust on his face but let her finish.

"I don't need luck, but thanks for your concern," he told her. "Next time I see you, I'm beating you!"

"That's a promise, right?" Juno asked.

With that, Juno and Alex went on their way and left the other three in the Pokémon Center.

"Morty, tomorrow… you will lose!"

**A/N Kind of a sad chapter, but I feel that it'll make Abby even stronger. Next chapter is the season finale, so I'll have time to get ahead. I won't be posting this story for a month after that. Spade faces Morty next!**

**Also, I am officially dedicating this story to my two best friends on fanfiction. Pokestets and Wisdom-Jewel. Pokestets recently announced that he may not continue his story because of computer problems. I now have to make the promise to him that I'll finish this story for him! Abby is also Wisdom-Jewel's character.**


	30. The Strongest Gym Yet! Part 2

"Spade!" Verde yelled down the hallway of the Pokémon Center.

Abby tapped his shoulder, and he turned around.

"He already left for his battle. We have to hurry and catch up!" Abby told him.

The two raced out of the Pokémon Center and ran to the Pokémon Center. Spade was sitting down on the bench outside, staring down at his feet.

"Spade!" Verde yelled, out of breath. "Why aren't you in there yet?"

Spade bit the bottom of his lip and looked up at them. "I guess I wanted to wait… for you two…"

All was silent. It was a peaceful day with a slight wind, but after he said that, everything seemed to stop.

"Oh! You really love us!" Abby screamed. She dived at Spade and gave him a rough hug.

"Watch it!" Spade yelled. He moved his broken arm away from her. "I only wanted to wait because my Pokémon need the support from you. I think that your cheering helps them."

He stood up and pushed the doors open. The three trainers entered the dark gym and walked down a dark hallway. As they moved, candles would light the way. It was different from last time, as though Morty was working the gym to be a little bit different. The group reached the end, and Morty was standing in his trainer's box already.

"Are you ready, Spade?" Morty asked. A Poké Ball appeared in his hand.

"I've been ready for way too long!" Spade yelled back.

"This battle will be between challenger, Spade, and Gym Leader, Morty. It will be a four-on-four battle, and they gym leader cannot substitute. Begin!"

"Let's go, Haunter!" Morty called.

Haunter appeared and laughed at the sight of Spade.

"That's the same Haunter as last time, isn't it?" Spade asked. He could tell by its smirk.

Morty simply nodded.

"Then let's get some revenge! Gengar, go!" Spade called. He threw his Poké Ball into the air and his newly evolved Gengar appeared.

"Your Haunter evolved? Fantastic," Morty remarked. "You may begin."

"Thunderbolt!"

Gengar jumped forward and released electric sparks from its shadowy cloak. The sparks raced for Haunter.

"Again? Then we shall counter with Energy Ball!"

Haunter formed a green ball in the middle of his hands. He flung it and it smashed against the sparks, completely destroying each other. Suddenly, Gengar flew through the smoke and punched Haunter square in the face. Haunter flew back and smacked against the wall.

"Good job, Gengar!" Abby screamed from her seat.

Gengar dance around playfully before it suddenly began to flow red and was absorbed back into its Poké Ball.

"Making a substitution?" Morty wondered aloud.

"Let's go, Gyarados!" Spade called. His red dragon Pokémon appeared onto the field. It roared at the injured Gengar.

"Hydro Pump!"

Gyarados shifted back and let loose a massive amount of water from his mouth. The water smashed into Haunter and completely engulfed the Pokémon. Whenever the water stopped flowing, Haunter was revealed to be unable to continue.

"Haunter is unable to continue! The winner is Gyarados," the referee announced.

Morty returned his Pokémon and glared at Spade. "That was pretty nifty of you. Using such a strength-based Pokémon. How do you think you will hold up against this?" He tossed Poké Ball into the air and a Misdreavus appeared.

The red beam suddenly returned Gyarados back into his ball. "C'mon, Electabuzz!" Electabuzz landed on the field and pounded his chest.

"Use your ThunderPunch!" Spade ordered.

Electabuzz shot forward and jabbed for Misdreavus, his fist sparking. Before she could move, Misdreavus was knocked back. Misdreavus fell to the ground.

_He didn't even try to block that one! He's mocking me!_ Spade thought.

"What a strong attack. Just strong enough too. It looks like my Misdreavus won't be able to go on much longer," Morty said.

"Stop underestimating me and attack!" Spade screamed.

"Pain Split," Morty said calmly.

Misdreavus weakly got up and began to glow. Suddenly, Electabuzz fell to his knees screaming.

"Electabuzz!" Spade yelled, scared of the trick that Morty was pulling.

"Pain Split balances the energy of each Pokémon. Since most of Misdreavus' energy was knocked away from her while Electabuzz had all of his energy, they are about halved," Verde explained.

"So, Morty didn't just let Misdreavus get hit for nothing!" Abby put together.

"Now, Shadow Ball!" Morty ordered.

"Dodge, then use your Thunderbolt!"

Electabuzz jumped into the air, completely avoiding the attack. He then released sparks from his body. The sparks connected with Misdreavus, and the ghost-Pokémon fell.

"Misdreavus is unable to continue! The winner is Electabuzz," the referee declared.

"Two down, two more to go," Spade announced to himself.

_He's waiting for something. I think he's trying to figure out my battle plan_, Spade thought.

"I guess that I need to go with a stronger Pokémon. You may know this one," Morty said. He tossed a Poké Ball into the air and his Gengar appeared.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball and returned his weakened Electabuzz into it. He tossed a Poké Ball into the air and Gyarados made his second appearance.

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

"Fight back with Dragon Rage!"

Gengar formed a dark orb in the middle of his hands. He shot them towards Gyarados. Gyarados focused hard and began to glow a green color. He shot a fire-like green energy. Both attacks collided and destroyed each other on contact. Gengar flew into the smoke and jumped out, punching Gyarados in the face. Gyarados fell back.

_Using my own strategy against me?_ Spade screamed in his head.

"Gyarados, get up and use your Hydro Pump!" Spade ordered. He was determined to win.

Gyarados struggled, but got back up. He seemed different though. His eyes were glowing red. He opened up his mouth and a bright energy formed. He let loose the energy, which came out as a beam. Gengar avoided the beam, but Gyarados kept trying.

"Get control over your Gyarados!" Verde screamed. "Something is going wrong with it!"

Spade ran out onto the battlefield and stood in front of Gyarados.

"Gyarados!" He yelled.

Gyarados looked down and formed more energy at his mouth, preparing to fire it all at Spade.

"Get out of the way!" Abby screamed.

"Gyarados!" Spade yelled one more time.

Gyarados looked at Spade and the energy stopped forming. He fell to his side; all of his energy was sapped.

"That was odd…" Morty mumbled.

Spade patted Gyarados on the side. "You'll be okay, buddy. We just have to work with you a little bit more."

He returned Gyarados and walked over to his side of the battlefield once more.

"Gyarados is unable to continue!" The referee declared. "Now, continue the match!"

"I'll just have to fight fire with fire. Let's go, Gengar!" Spade called. He released his shadowy Pokémon once more. She danced around a little bit.

"Gengar, use your Shadow Ball!" Morty ordered.

"Dodge it, then use Shadow Punch!" Spade countered.

Morty's Gengar threw the ball that it formed at Spade's Gengar. Spade's Gengar dove under the Shadow Ball and uppercut Morty's Gengar.

"Now, close-ranged Thunderbolt!" Spade called.

Spade's Gengar grabbed ahold of Morty's and let loose electric sparks. Morty's Gengar cried out in pain and dropped down to the ground.

"One more Shadow Punch!" Spade ordered.

Spade's Gengar dove from the air, his fist a shadowy tint.

"Destiny Bond!" Morty said suddenly.

Spade tried to spit out one more command, but it was too late. Morty's Gengar began to glow as soon as he was struck by the Shadow Punch. Both Pokémon collapsed.

"Both Gengar are unable to continue! This round ends in a draw!" The referee declared.

Both trainers returned their Pokémon, and Spade waited for Morty to make his next move.

"It looks like I'm down to my last Pokémon," Morty said calmly. "I didn't think that I'd have to use this one so soon." He threw a Poké Ball into the air and a scrawny Pokémon with a wicked smile and diamonds for eyes appeared.

"What is that?" Spade asked while he pulled out his golden Pokédex.

"Sableye, the Darkness Pokémon. It dwells in the darkness of caves. It uses its sharp claws to dig up gems to nourish itself," the Pokédex announced.

"There's nothing that will be super-effective towards a Sableye! Watch out!" Verde warned.

"In that case, I'll have to battle smart. Let's go, Electabuzz!" Spade called.

His Electabuzz appeared from his Poké Ball. He was breathing heavily from Pain Split.

"Electabuzz, use your Thunderpunch!"

"Get around it and use your Shadow Claw!"

Electabuzz darted for Sableye, his arm was flaring with sparks. He swung for Sableye, but it dodged, leaping into the air. It then slashed at Electabuzz's face, causing him to fall back slightly.

"Thunderbolt while its in the air!" Spade screamed.

Still falling back, Electabuzz released sparks from his body. The sparks struck Sableye, causing it to fall back to the ground.

"Shadow Ball!" Morty called.

Sableye shot the shadowy orb directly at Electabuzz.

"Light Screen!" Spade yelled quickly.

Electabuzz put up his arms and a barrier formed, blocking the attack. It broke through after a bit, and Electabuzz was flung back.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball. "Return, Electabuzz!"

"I don't think so! Astonish!" Morty called.

Before the red light could reach Electabuzz, Sableye jumped forward and jabbed his claw into Electabuzz's stomach. Electabuzz was knocked out cold.

"Electabuzz is unable to continue! The winner is Sableye!" The referee concurred.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball once more and finally returned Electabuzz. "You did a great job. Now you get a good rest."

"Now we're only down to one more Pokémon each! If things keep up, I'll probably win. How do you like my Sableye?" Morty asked.

Spade pulled out his next Poké Ball. "Sableye is really strong, but it stands no chance against my Magmar!"

Magmar popped out of his Poké Ball. It glared at Sableye and crossed his arms.

"Your Magmar is confident in its abilities. It kind of shadows you," Morty told Spade.

"Magmar, Flamethrower!"

Magmar opened up his mouth wide and let loose a thick stream of flames towards Sableye.

"Dodge, then use your Night Shade!"

With one swift movement, Sableye avoided the attack. It jumped into the air and let loose a black and purple beam from its mouth. The beam raced for Magmar. It collided with what seemed like a thin barrier, protecting Magmar.

"Ha! Light Screen is still there!" Abby cheered. "You can do it, Magmar!"

"Fire Punch!" Spade commanded.

Magmar ran for Sableye. He uppercut the Pokémon, sending him flying into the air.

"Now, Fire Spin!"

Magmar looked into the air and released spiraling flames towards Sableye. The flames completely engulfed the Pokémon. Whenever the flames disappeared, Sableye fell to the ground.

"Sableye is unable to continue! The winner is Magmar, which means that Spade is the victor!" The referee declared.

"Yes!" Spade yelled.

Magmar spat fire at the ground and crossed his arms. "Mag…mar…"

Morty returned his Sableye and walked towards Spade. His referee carried over a small box. Morty grabbed it and opened it. He handed over a silver, small, circular shaped gym badge.

"You've finally did it, Spade. Here is your Fog Badge," Morty told him.

Spade grabbed the gym badge and grinned. "I finally won my fog badge!"

"That marks your fifth badge already! You only need three more to enter the Silver Conference!" Abby informed him.

"Where should we go next?" Spade asked.

"Your best bet would be Olivine or Cianwood. From what I've heard, you haven't gone there yet," Morty suggested.

"Then let's go?" Spade asked, motioning towards the doors.

Verde shook his head. "I think it's about time that I let you guys go on your own. I need to do my own personal training. You've definitely grown these past weeks. I know that you can do it without me."

"Aw… Really?" Abby asked. She would miss her teacher.

Verde nodded. "I'll definitely be watching for you guys in the Grande Festival or the Silver Conference."

Spade stuck out his hand. "We'll see you there."

Verde grabbed his hand and shook it. He had high hopes for Spade and Abby.

**A/N Looks like the first season is over! I'll be taking a few weeks off of this story to work on the others and get caught up a bit. If you look back at these past chapters, Spade has been training for his match against Morty for around 15 chapters. It was a lot of build up that I don't think worked.**

**To a better second season! JohtoBlue**


	31. The Fairy Beast

"Go, Monferno!" Spade called out.

He was on a battlefield. The opposing side of the battlefield was shrouded in shadows though. The only thing that could be seen was the silhouette of someone on the other side.

Monferno appeared from his Poké Ball and struck a fighting pose. He jumped up and down, preparing to battle.

The figure pulled his hands from his pockets and calmly opened up the Poké Ball. A blacked Pokémon appeared. It mimicked Monferno's motions.

"Who are you? Come out of those shadows!" Spade screamed.

"You'd think that you'd know," the figure said calmly.

He moved forward slowly, until the light revealed who he was. He had long red hair that covered one of his eyes. His clothing was dark and covered the majority of his body. His eye were bright white.

"I'm you," the figure said.

"Y-you can't be…" Spade mumbled.

The stadium suddenly began to spin around as though the battlefield was absorbing it.

"You're becoming weaker! You're beginning to grab your emotions. With emotions, comes weakness!" The figure snapped.

"Without weakness, there is no reason to improve!" Spade yelled back. He was beginning to become dizzy from the swirling mess in front of him.

"Weakness is the biggest flaw in all of humans. You should know that," the figure responded apathetically.

Spade had enough. He lifted his arm and pointed at the shadowed Pokémon. "Monferno, use your Flamethrower!" Spade growled.

Monferno jumped into the air but suddenly stopped. He landed on the ground and slowly turned towards Spade. He had an evil look in his eye. Without a second passing, Monferno released a smooth set of flames straight for Spade.

Spade shot up in his bed, breathing hard and dripping with sweat. Shaking, he lifted his hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Not another nightmare…"

Spade grabbed his jacket and put it on. He walked outside of the shelter of the Pokémon Center and smelled the clean air of Ecruteak.

Winter was finally here. It had been awhile since Spade was actually able to take note of the weather. The trees were beginning to freeze over, and the grass was dying. A slight breeze made Spade's nose feel numb.

The Johto Region was known for not getting too cold, especially in the western part of the region. Luckily, that is exactly where they were heading.

His clothing for autumn could also work for winter, but Abby's clothing didn't serve as great protection against the frigid air.

It was still morning, so Spade still had time to do what he was dreading, being nice. He walked down the streets of Ecruteak, looking for any open store. After a lot of celebrating, the streets had seemed abandon and empty.

The dream that Spade had was haunting him. Was he really losing what he had fought so hard to gain? And if so, what exactly was he fighting for?

He eventually reached a small store on the main street. He entered it and looked around for what he was planning to get. It didn't long for him to gather what he needed. He bought what he found and left the store and ran back to the Pokémon Center.

Whenever he got back to the room, Abby was waking up. She had a brush going through her hair and her makeup scattered all over the sink.

"Where did you go so early?" Abby asked while Spade sat down with his bag.

"I had to go and get a few things before we left for Olivine. It's beginning to get cold outside, ya know," Spade said nervously. He reached into the bag and pulled out a medium-sized shoe box.

Abby walked out of the bathroom and looked at the shoe box. "What's with the shoe box?"

"I've noticed that your sneakers are torn up from all of the traveling. Since it's getting colder, I bought you a few things," Spade responded. He pulled out two fuzzy white boots from the shoe box and handed them over.

"You bought me stuff?!" Abby asked in a excited tone.

Spade pulled from the bag a grey hooded pull-over and black mittens. Abby tried on her new boots and marveled at them.

"Thank you, Spade!" Abby squealed.

Spade stood up and sighed. "Hurry up and get ready. We have to get to Olivine."

The two trainers got everything they needed packed and were on their way.

Abby now wore her new clothes, while Spade wore the same clothing. He did tie is long hair into a short ponytail though. A few strands of hair still fell in his eyes.

The duo went through the west tunnel of Ecruteak and entered a long field that was surrounded by tall pine trees.

Spade took a look at the sign and read aloud "Route 38".

Abby flipped through her guide book. "It looks like there is a place where they sell MooMoo Milk nearby. That is about it for Route 38. I take it that you just want to keep going and not stop at the farm?"

Spade nodded, and they continued to make their way through Route 38. It seemed empty for the most part, but Spade couldn't help but feel that he was being followed.

"Abby," he whispered.

Abby looked startled. "What is it?"

"We need to be careful. I can't explain what it is, but something is nearby, and it's watching us," Spade explained quietly.

He took one step forward, and the bushes near him began to rustle. Suddenly, a pink blur jumped out of it, tackling Spade to the ground.

"Spade, are you okay?" Abby screamed. She readied a Poké Ball in one hand.

"Get this thing off of me!" Spade cried out. Whatever was on top of him, it was licking his face. He pushed it off and glared at it.

"Snubbull?" it said while it tilted his head.

Spade pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it. "Snubbull, the Fairy Pokémon. Although it looks frightening, it is actually kind and affectionate. It is very popular among women."

"Frightening?" Spade questioned. He stood up and dusted off his jacket. "You're going to pay for attacking me like that…"

Snubbull darted forward and gave Spade's leg a tight hug. Spade flailed around slightly, trying to kick it off.

"Ah! It loves you!" Abby cried out.

"Get away," Spade said aggressively. He kicked his leg out and Snubbull flew back.

Spade turned to Abby. "Let's get out of here."

Abby looked back at Snubbull, who was now crying. She shook her head and followed Spade.

"You don't have to be so mean," Abby snapped. "I think it just wanted to go with you."

"A weak Pokémon like that? My team is growing stronger everyday. I don't think that Snubbull is up to my level," Spade growled.

"Snubbull!" Snubbull cried from behind.

It jumped into the air and smashed its head against Spade's back. Spade flew face first into the ground. He stood back up, shaking from pain and anger.

"That's it," Spade groaned. He pulled out a Poké Ball from his belt. "You want to mess with me? C'mon out, Machamp!"

From his Poké Ball emerged the tall, four-armed Pokémon, Machamp. He looked at his muscles and smiled.

"Machamp!" He cried out happily.

"Machamp, use your Cross Chop!" Spade ordered.

Machamp crossed his four arms and lunged forward. He smacked each of the arms against Snubbull, causing the Pokémon to fall back.

Snubbull struggled but stood right back up. It growled angrily at Machamp. Without much warning, Snubbull leapt forward and smashed its head against Machamp's. Machamp fell backwards.

"Get up!" Spade snapped. "You will not lose to such a small Pokémon!"

Machamp hoisted himself up and cracked his neck. He popped his knuckles and grinned evilly at the tiny Snubbull.

"Now use Low Sweep!" Spade commanded.

Machamp jolted forward and slid his leg at Snubbull. With one swift movement, Snubbull was sent back once more. Snubbull landed with a hard thud onto the unforgiving ground.

"Take that," Spade said. He lifted his Poké Ball to return Machamp, but he was stopped by what he saw next.

Snubbull struggled, but stood once more. It glared at Spade and cried into the air. It began to glow a bright white and within seconds, grew to a new form. This time, it had a bigger jaw and looked much more "frightening".

"It evolved," Abby squealed.

Spade scanned the new Pokémon with his Pokédex. "Granbull, the Fairy Pokémon. It is actually timid and easily spooked. If attacked, it flails about to fend off its attacker."

Spade smirked. "Now that's what I'm talking about. I'll admit, whenever you were a small Snubbull, I didn't want anything to do with you. But you have proven yourself a worthy fighter, and now that you've evolved, I bet that you are much stronger."

"Gran…Bull!" It cried out angrily.

It jumped and began to charge towards Spade on all fours. It leapt forward; its jaw crackled with electricity.

"Karate Chop!" Spade ordered. He knew that even though Granbull evolved, it had taken much damage before it evolved.

Machamp swung his hand around Granbull's head and smashed it into the back of his skull. Granbull fell down to the ground in front of Spade and didn't move a muscle.

"Poké Ball, go," Spade said calmly while he dropped a Poké Ball on top of Granbull. The ball opened and absorbed the entirety of the pink Pokémon. Without having to shake, the signature _ding_ was sounded.

"That was an odd change of events. I thought that you were going to just hurt it and leave," Abby told him with a fake smile.

"Any Pokémon that wants to join my team has to be strong. Granbull proved his strength," Spade said calmly.

He lifted his newly captured Pokémon's Poké Ball and pressed the button on his Pokédex to send it off to Oak. The Poké Ball flashed and was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>AN We're back! Well... with this story atleast! I was thinking about posting up Spade's Pokemon up top and switching between Spade and Abby every chapter. Good idea or bad idea?**

**Q1) Do you think that Granbull fits Spade pretty well?**

**Q2) What other Pokemon do you think would match with Spade?**


	32. The Companion's Rival Battle!

Route 39 was different from Route 38. Unlike the fields with trees everywhere, Route 38 was flat with a large barn in the distance. Far out on the horizon, you could see buildings and a lighthouse.

"It looks like we're getting close," Abby noted. She was reading through her guidebook. "Are you pumped for your next gym battle?"

"I would be, but I feel like I need to prepare a bit more. I don't want a repeat of my first battle with Morty," Spade replied.

"Always gotta make yourself better, eh?" Abby mumbled. "Would you like to go to MooMoo Farm? We could stock up on some food for the Pokémon."

"I have a feeling that even if I said no, you'd still make me," Spade snapped. "I guess that I have no say in the matter."

"You got it! Let's get going!" Abby cheered. She took off for the barn that was visible in the distance.

Spade followed slowly. The wind was nice on this day, and he didn't want to waste his energy running. He would enjoy the day.

Abby walked onto the steps of the MooMoo Farmhouse. She rang the doorbell and a short blonde woman answered the door. She had a gentle smile and wore a blue dress.

"Why, hello! Welcome to MooMoo Farm," she said. "My name is Bonnie. Can I help you?"

"Hi! I'm Abby, and this is Spade. We were wanting to get some food supplies," Abby responded.

She pushed her way into the house and took a look around. There were dozens of dairy items in the house, ranging from milk to cheese.

"Abby?" A muffled but familiar voice rang. Abby turned and found that the boy from a few contests ago, Andrew, was standing right in front of her with a piece of cheese in his mouth.

He wore a long sleeved, collared shirt and blue jeans with sewn on patches on the outside. Around his neck were black ear warmers.

"Hey, Andrew! How's it been?" Abby asked while giving him a hug.

Spade walked into the room and glared at Andrew.

Abby looked back at Spade. "Oh, Spade! Remember Andrew from the Goldenrod Contest?"

"The guy with the weak Staryu?" Spade said with a snarky smile.

"It was a hard loss for my Staryu. We got over it though. Now who might you be?" Andrew asked.

"My name is Spade. I've been traveling with Abby for awhile," Spade explained. He turned to Abby. "Can we get our stuff and go?"

"How many have you won, so far? I've only got three. My last ribbon was our battle," Abby explained, ignoring Spade's request to leave.

"I actually just received my fourth ribbon. I'm giving my Pokémon a break from contests though. We're training," Andrew responded.

"I'm out of here," Spade mumbled. He turned to leave before being interrupted.

"Not without a battle. I take it that you're a trainer, calling my Staryu weak like you did," Andrew snapped suddenly.

"A battle?" Spade questioned.

"If you can show us a dazzling battle, we'll throw in discounts for you!" Bonnie chimed in.

"You should totally do it!" Abby cheered. "I want a discount."

"I doubt that you can defeat my Pokémon, but I'll humor you," Spade touted.

Everyone made their way outside into a giant flat field. Miltank grazed at their sides.

"Not my ideal battlefield, but I can make it work," Spade noted out loud.

"Does two Pokémon each work for you?" Andrew asked.

"I can make it work," Spade replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Poké Ball. "Let's go, Granbull!"

The nefarious dog-like Pokémon appeared from his Poké Ball and stretched.

"I'll defeat your Granbull with the Pokémon that you think is so weak. Let's do this, Starmie!" Andrew called. A purple, star-shaped Pokémon with a red jewel in the center appeared from the ball and spun around in the air.

"It must have evolved," Spade said to himself. He grabbed ahold of his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

"Starmie, the Mysterious Pokémon. The center section of its body is called the core. It glows in a different color each time it is seen."

"I'll give you the first attack," Spade said with a cocky smile on his face.

"You'll regret that! Starmie, use your Bubblebeam!" Andrew ordered.

"Show him the brawn of my team! Use Headbutt!" Spade called.

Starmie twisted into the air and released a plethora of brightly colored bubbles from the middle of the red jewel.

Granbull darted for Starmie, ducking under the bubbles and smashing his head into the jewel. Starmie flew back but regained composure quickly.

"He insulted you! You have to fight your hardest! Rapid Spin!" Andrew commanded. His competitive attitude was coming out.

Starmie jumped into the air once more and began to spin at an incredible pace.

"Catch it," Spade ordered calmly.

Granbull opened his mouth wide and caught Starmie. He clamped down his mouth and held on tight while the Pokémon struggled to get free.

"Thunder Fang!" Spade ordered.

Sparks popped from the Pokémon's mouth and shocked Starmie. Starmie screeched in pain before going limp. Granbull threw his head from side to side until he tossed Starmie onto the ground.

"Like I told you, weak Pokémon. I wonder if it's a weak Pokémon, or a weak trainer," Spade said with a cracked smile.

"I'll show you! Starmie, return!" Andrew started, but something stopped him. He put his Poké Ball back on his belt and pointed out at Starmie.

Starmie was getting back up. It moved very slowly, but stood back up and spun around a little bit.

"Don't you dare call my Starmie weak again! Starmie, Hydro Pump!" Andrew called.

"Watch out!" Spade yelled, but it was too late.

Starmie lifted one of her spikes and a blast of water emerged from it. The water collided with Granbull, and pushed through. Granbull was pushed into a nearby tree before the water could stop flowing. Granbull fell to the ground, unable to continue.

"Ha! Take that!" Andrew said with a grin.

Starmie suddenly fell to the ground.

"It looks like a draw. I guess that I'm okay with that. After all, my Granbull is a newly caught Pokémon," Spade explained. He let the red stream return his new Pokémon, and he grabbed another Poké Ball.

Andrew returned his Pokémon back into its ball and prepared another. "I'll defeat you with my most trusted Pokémon. Destroy him, Venomoth!"

"And I'll use my Monferno!" Spade replied. His chimp Pokémon was released from his Poké Ball. Monferno creaked his neck from side to side. It had been a long time since he had battled.

Spade scanned Venomoth.

"Venomoth, the Poison Moth Pokémon and the evolved form of Venonat. When it attacks, it flaps its large wings violently to scatter its poisonous powder all around."

"Use Silver Wind!" Andrew directed quickly.

Venomoth took to the sky and flapped his wings as hard as he could. Silver streaks flew from his wings and raced for Monferno.

"Dig!" Spade instructed calmly.

Before any of the silver streaks could reach, Monferno disappeared into the ground, only leaving a hole.

"If you stay in the air, they can't get you," Andrew told his Pokémon.

"That doesn't mean that my fire attacks can't reach you!" Spade taunted.

Monferno emerged from the ground behind Venomoth and released wicked flames from his mouth.

"Avoid it!" Andrew yelled.

Venomoth glided low and avoided any of the flames.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Venomoth abided by Andrew's order, and his head lit up a blue hew. He flew only a few feet from the ground at a blinding pace. Within moments, his head crashed into Monferno, sending the Pokémon staggering back.

"Recover from that and use your Mach Punch!" Spade screamed. He was beginning to lose his cool.

Monferno shook his head then leapt forward faster than Venomoth could retreat. His fist smashed into Venomoth's skull, causing the Pokémon to falter towards the ground.

"Don't let up! Use your Flame Wheel!"

Without hesitation, Monferno was engulfed in flames and rolled for Venomoth. He slammed into Venomoth, sending the Pokémon into the air.

"Now, finish this with Flamethrower!"

"Venomoth, Signal Beam!" Andrew called desperately.

Before Monferno could fire his flames from his gaping mouth, Venomoth shot a tri-colored beam from his forehead. Both attacks clashed in the air, causing smoke to fill the area.

"Once more, Zen Headbutt!" Andrew's voice called.

"What?! No!" Spade growled.

Venomoth burst from the smoke and smashed into Monferno. Monferno flew back and landed in front of Spade, unconscious. Venomoth flew into the air then fell in front of Andrew on the hard ground.

"Looks like it is a tie on both rounds," Abby noted.

"You did a great job, Venomoth," Andrew told his Pokémon while returning into its Poké Ball.

Spade knelt down and pat Monferno's shoulder. "You fought hard. I'm sorry that I pushed you that much."

"Monferno…" Monferno replied.

"That was an awesome battle!" Bonnie cheered from the sidelines.

Andrew lifted his backpack and put it over his shoulder. "I have to get going. I have a lot to work on. I can't wait for our next battle though, Spade. And Abby, I'm pumped to see you in the Grande Festival. You both keep it up."

"I'll see you next time, buddy!" Abby replied. She waved goodbye.

"Next time, things will be different," Spade snapped.

Andrew laughed. "I bet it will be…"

Spade and Abby had received their MooMoo Farm items and set up camp near the farm, but not but off the property. They had released all of their Pokémon, and Spade cooked a small dinner for the two. Abby had prepared meals for all of the Pokémon.

After they ate, the Pokémon found places to rest. Monferno rested near the fire while Electabuzz and Magmar sat on rocks nearby and stared off into the night sky. Absol took a place near the rocks to take a nap. Spinarak and Venonat cuddled and slept together near the forest. Eevee and Vulpix played tag while Granbull watched close. Machamp trained in the distance by punching a boulder and eventually causing it to break. Ponyta grazed near the farm's fence, and finally, Bulbasaur cuddled into Abby's lap.

"Why were you so mean to Andrew today?" Abby asked after a long silence.

"I really don't know… I'm just in a bad mood. I've been having weird dreams," Spade explained.

Abby shook her head and sighed. "That's no excuse." She laid back and wrapped up in her blanket.

"I know it's not…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN A new Spade chapter! Woo! If you haven't, you should check out JohtoBlue Chronicles. We'll be posting up newer chapters there after awhile. What did you think of the battle? Andrew won't be appearing for awhile after this, and I'll be introducing a new rival for Abby in her next contest.**

**Make sure to look up Twins of the West Star, a collab story by myself and Pokestets23. It is by far one of my better works.**


	33. The Flying Capture

It was morning, and the sun began to rise. There was a slight mist that filled and cooled the air.

The two trainers woke up and prepared to leave for Olivine.

"Spade, watch out!" Abby screamed.

Spade picked up his bag and turned around. A blue figure jolted forward and slammed into him. Spade fell to the ground and rolled against a tree.

"Spade!" Abby screeched.

Spade rubbed the back of his head and stood up slowly. "What was that?!" He looked into the sky where a multitude of winged, blue Pokémon soared. He reached into his pocket and grabbed his golden Pokédex.

"Zubat, the Bat Pokémon. While flying, it constantly emits ultrasonic waves from its mouth to check its surroundings," the Pokédex beeped.

"Why did it attack me?!" Spade screamed.

"Maybe we're in they're territory. Sometimes Pokémon can get very defensive," Abby informed him.

"If they attack me, I'll have to attack them right back!"

"Are you sure that is a good idea?"

Spade glared at her. He pulled out two Poké Balls and tossed them into the air. Gengar and Electabuzz emerged from the Poké Balls. They took defensive poses and readied their attacks.

"Would you rather just let them attack us?" Spade snapped.

Abby shook her head and pulled out her Poké Ball. "Let's do this, Sam!"

Her Bulbasaur appeared from his ball stood in front of Abby.

The Zubat darted towards the trainers and their Pokémon at a speed that was almost blinding.

"Electabuzz, Gengar, Thunderbolt!" Spade ordered.

"Razor Leaf!" Abby screamed. She held her hands above her face.

All of the Pokémon released their attacks. The swarm of Zubat were struck back by the cluster of attacks. Some were able to fight through though. One swooped down and tried to strike Spade once more, but he avoided it. Two more collided with Spade's chest, flinging him back into the tree. The one that originally tried to hit Spade tried one more. Whenever it was within only a few feet of Spade, Electabuzz jumped and grabbed ahold of the tiny blue Pokémon, throwing it into the ground.

"Thank you, Electabuzz," Spade said with a sigh of relief. He looked up and noticed that one Zubat flew near the back, seemingly giving the others orders.

A few Zubat zigzagged in the air and immediately shot down, racing for Abby. Gengar and Sam jumped in front of Abby, bracing themselves for impact. The Zubat pounded into them, but none could reach Abby.

"Sam, use Razor Leaf!" Abby ordered desperately.

Sam let out a deep growl before releasing a plethora of razor sharp leaves from his bulb. The leaves ripped into a few Zubat, causing them to fall back. Gengar unleashed a massive waves of electricity from her body. The static shocked Zubat, forcing them to hit the ground.

"Electabuzz, use an Iron Tail on the one up there!" Spade commanded. He pointed up into the air at the Zubat that had been giving out commands and lying dormant.

Electabuzz shot into the air and did a flip, his tail glowing a white color. Before the Zubat could notice anything, it was smashed into the ground by the strength of the attack.

All of the Zubat around suddenly stopped moving. They watched closely as the leader Zubat struggled to pick itself up out of the ground.

"Now use ThunderPunch!" Spade screamed.

Electabuzz positioned himself and dove for Zubat, his fist bursting with electricity. Many Zubat flew in his way to try to protect their leader, but they were only pushed away. Electabuzz crashed into the ground, causing a small explosion.

The Zubat began to flail around with little thought. They zipped through the air, tackling the trainers and each other.

Spade ran forward, one of the special Poké Balls that he had received from Kurt in hand. He threw it at the grounded Zubat, letting it absorb Zubat in the process. With no struggle, the ball dinged.

"Now finish this! Electabuzz, Gengar, use your strongest Thunderbolt!" Spade screamed.

Gengar and Electabuzz reached their arms into the air and released the strongest volts that they could muster up from their bodies. The volts raced through the sky, electrocuting every single Zubat. The Zubat that didn't fall from the attacks scurried away in a hurry.

Spade grabbed the Poké Ball and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He pressed the button on the Poké Ball and released Zubat. She was still weakened by the battle before and slumped down on the ground, breathing hard.

"I like the way that you had full command over all of the others. You're powerful and I would like it if you were to join my team. I can form you into the strongest that you can be. Will you join me?" Spade told his newly caught Pokémon.

Zubat flew up slightly and landed on Spade's shoulder, signaling that she agreed to the terms.

"Really?!" Abby screamed.

"What?" Spade asked.

"We get attacked, and you make a friend?!"

Spade, for the first time in a long time, laughed. He turned around, picked up his bag, and walked off towards Olivine.

"Seriously!" Abby screamed.

"Bulba…" Sam sighed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Shortest chapter ever! Short A/N too!**

**Q1) Zubat?**


	34. The Rival Battle! Spade vs Juno!

The duo had finally made it to Olivine. It was a beautiful city with a wonderful view of the ocean. Above all of the buildings reigned a lighthouse with a light glow. People were roaming around outside even though it had been winter. The weather was warmer here.

Spade had been scheduled for an appointment with a doctor to check up on his arm. It had been awhile since he had someone look at it.

"It looks like you should be good to go within only a few weeks. That is if you take it easy," Doctor Bokker told Spade. He was a muscular doctor. He wore dark, rectangular glasses and a white coat.

Abby grinned. "Take it easy isn't a sentence that Spade ever listens to."

"Just stay out of trouble," Bokker said with a stern expression on his face.

Spade nodded. Bokker helped him put back on a new cast, and the duo left the office.

"That was some good news!" Abby chimed. "You'll be all better within only a matter of weeks!"

"I'd like to be better now. My arm is going to be really skinny whenever it's healed up. I don't want to look like I don't eat…" he mumbled.

Spade had never liked going to any doctor. His brother would always schedule him to go to a Team Rocket doctor, who were usually very rough and mean with him.

The two had decided that since they just got into town, they may as well enjoy it. They separated, Abby going to the Pokémon Center to get a room checked out, and Spade walking around, enjoying the sights. He went to the beach and sat down, releasing his Pokémon in the process. Electabuzz and Magmar sat down next to each other, relaxing and having an intellectual Pokémon talk. Machamp stood near the ocean, practicing his attacks with his four arms. Gengar took a nap on a rock, away from the ocean. Gyarados enjoyed the company of the ocean, swimming around freely for the first time since The Lake of Rage. Lastly, Monferno sat with Spade.

"Monferno, are you ready to win more battles with me? I'm afraid that I may not be a great trainer to you guys," Spade stated randomly.

Monferno shook his head. "Monferno…"

"Spade?" A familiar voice rang out.

Spade turned and noticed that it came from Juno. It was only about a week ago since he said bye to her, and she was already back. She stood next to Alex, who looked like watching the ocean was making him sick.

The two made their way over to Spade, saying their hellos. The three talked about their latest journeys from the past week.

"You caught a Granbull and Zubat? You are quick," Juno laughed. "I've only been able to train a bit…"

"You call that a bit? You've been going nuts, battling every chance you get!" Alex snapped playfully.

The three continued to talk and Abby finally joined them. She brought food for a small picnic. The four sat around eating with their Pokémon. It was a long time since Spade had time to actually relax, so this was good for him.

"What are your plans now?" Alex asked.

"I'd like to challenge the Olivine gym then make my way over to Cianwood. I want to win the rest of my gym badges soon," Spade explained.

Abby nodded. "And I need two more ribbons still. I'm going to enter the Olivine Contest whenever it opens."

"What about you?" Spade asked. He kind of shifted back because he actually asked that question. It was the first time that he seemed to actually be interested in someone else. Juno interested Spade, but was it because of how talented she was at battling, or something else?

"We're leaving tonight. I'm going back to Kanto from Olivine. The ship will get here in only a matter of hours," Juno explained.

"You're leaving?!" Spade screamed. He stood up and glared at Juno. "What about our rematch?!"

Juno grinned. "We could battle right now, if you'd like? You seemed so relaxed."

Spade nodded. The group split up, Abby and Alex moving to sit on the rocks to watch the battle.

"Does a four-on-four battle work for you?" Juno asked. She pulled out a Poké  
>Ball and readied it.<p>

Spade nodded and grabbed a Poké Ball out of his pocket and enlarged it. He took a deep breath. "Let's win this one…"

"Daphne!" Juno shouted, releasing her Grovyle.

"Spinarak!" Spade called. He had switched for Spinarak in secret right before their battle.

A sudden popping noise sounded and Bing, Abby's Venonat, had let herself out. She blushed at the sight of Spinarak.

"Why do you keep doing that?!" Abby squealed.

"Leaf Blade!" Juno ordered.

The leaves on Grovyle's arms began to glow a light green. Grovyle lunged forward, ready to slice away at the tiny Pokémon.

"Use String Shot!" Spade commanded, only waiting a mere second before Daphne would connected.

Spinarak calmly opened his mouth and let loose the white strings, sticky and hard to break from. It wrapped around Grovyle's arms, forcing him to the ground.

"Now throw!"

Spinarak began to spin, taking Daphne with him. He used his pincers on to cut the string, letting Daphne loose and into the air. Daphne crashed down on the ground face first.

"Daphne!" Juno called.

Grovyle stood back up, shaking and slowly. He turned and glared at Spinarak.

"Quick Attack!" Juno ordered. She couldn't afford to lose to Spade. She had escaped from Kanto for vacation and training. She refused to go back the same. She promised that she'd go back a stronger person.

Spade had a counterattack. "Use Poison Sting!"

Daphne darted forward, almost making him seem invisible. He zigzagged around Spinarak's attack and smacked him far. Spinarak landed on the ground perfectly, preventing any more damage.

"One more Leaf Blade!" Juno's voice called.

Daphne, now tired and hurt, leapt forward, his leaves glowing yet again. He sliced down at Spinarak, but Spinarak jumped and landed on Daphne's face.

"Pin Missile!" Spade ordered.

Spinarak let loose small needles from his mouth, stabbing them into Daphne's face. Daphne fell to the ground, unconscious.

Juno lifted her Poké Ball and returned Grovyle.

"It's your turn, Magmas!" Juno said, releasing her Quilava. Quilava looked ready to battle the tiny spider-Pokémon. He flashed his fire from his head and lower back in an attempt to intimidate Spinarak.

"Use Fury Swipes!" Spade ordered.

Spinarak lunged forward, ready to slice into Quilava.

"Flamethrower!" Juno ordered calmly.

Quilava released a smooth blast of flames from his mouth. The flames engulfed Spinarak, forcing him into submission.

The red stream returned Spinarak into his Poké Ball and Spade glared. "Quilava is really strong. I'll have to fight strong right back! Let's go, Granbull!"

Granbull materialized from the Poké Ball and roared into the air. He flexed his muscles and eyed down Quilava.

"Flame Charge!" Juno called.

Quilava stamped his front paws into the ground, creating dirt and smoke to rise slowly. He then darted forward, completely engulfing himself in fire.

"Focus Punch!" Spade responded. He had looked up Granbull's moves prior to the battle. After Granbull put up a great fight with Machamp, he knew he could take Quilava.

Granbull waited, then his fist began to glow. He smashed it into the big ball of flames, causing a big ball of smoke to emerge and Quilava to fly back.

"Now Headbutt!"

Granbull lunged forward, head down, ready to do as much damage as he could.

"Lava Plume!" Juno called desperately.

Seconds before Granbull could reach him, Magmas released a small but powerful flame from his mouth, exploding on contact, forcing both to be flung back. Granbull landed on his stomach but pushed himself up, prepared to fight more. Quilava, however, did not get back up.

Juno returned Magmas into his ball and drew out another Poké Ball. "C'mon out, Hephaestus!" Juno's Charmeleon appeared. He scowled at Granbull.

_I have to be careful. From how Charmeleon battled in Abby's contest, this will not be easy. Granbull may not be able to get the job done. There is hope though,_ Spade thought.

"Thunder Fang!" Spade ordered.

Granbull's jaw began to spark. He opened it and lunged forward, clamping them down on Charmeleon's back. Charmeleon crouched down and cringed at the pain.

"Metal Claw!" Juno called.

Charmeleon's claws began to glow a bright silver. He spun around and slashed at Granbull. Granbull fell back, but stood up strong. Charmeleon dove at him and connected directly with Granbull's face.

"Focus Punch!" Spade called.

The two Pokémon exchanged blows, trying to find an opening to finish the other off. Charmeleon was able to duck every attack and get a slight scratch it. It was like a boxing match that would not end.

"Flamethrower!" Juno commanded.

Charmeleon jumped backwards and let loose flames from his mouth. The flames engulfed Granbull, bringing him to his knees. Charmeleon fell to the ground weakly, letting loose a few left over embers from his mouth. Granbull grinned then stood back up.

"Ha! Two Pokémon! Granbull took out two!" Spade laughed. He then stopped smiling when Granbull fell to the ground. "Crap…"

Both trainers returned their Pokémon back into their respective Poké Balls.

"One Pokémon left," Juno said calmly. She grabbed at her Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. "Let's go, Zeus!" Her Croconaw appeared from the Poké Ball and stretched. It looked ready to do damage.

"C'mon, Monferno!" Spade ordered. His Pokémon ran to his side.

"This should decide it…" Alex mumbled. "Juno has been pumped for this match for a long time now…"

"Water Gun!"

"Flamethrower!"

Both attacks clashed against one another, forcing sand and dust into the air. When both attacks ceased, both Pokémon stood, neither looking intimidated.

"Mach Punch!" Spade ordered.

Monferno lunged forward at a blinding speed. He struck his fist into Zeus' jaw before moving to uppercut him.

"Crunch!" Juno's voice called.

Croconaw caught Monferno's punch in his mouth. Monferno yelped from the pain and Croconaw twisted, slamming Monferno into the ground.

"Now, Water Gun!"

Zeus released water from his mouth at the grounded Monferno. Monferno was hurled back at Spade, landing on the ground hard and struggling to stand back up.

"Can you continue?" Spade asked.

Monferno gave him a weak thumbs up then posed to fight more.

"Monferno, use Mach Punch again! Watch out for Crunch!"

Monferno leapt forward and laid in a few punches, forcing Croconaw a bit. Monferno stepped back and released flames from his mouth, completely engulfing Croconaw.

"Ice Fang!" Juno called.

Croconaw leapt from the fire and clamped his fangs down hard on Monferno, freezing over his arm. Monferno was taken back, holding on his frozen arm.

"Ember!" Spade ordered.

Monferno released small flames onto his arm, letting the ice melt. He shook off the extra water and glared at Croconaw.

"Dig!" Spade's voice called.

Monferno quickly disappeared into the ground, ready to pop out at any moment.

Zeus looked around, trying to prepare himself for what would come.

"Flamethrower!" Spade screamed.

"Brick Break!"

Monferno burst from the ground behind Croconaw and prepared to blow flames from his mouth. But before he could, Croconaw turned and slammed his fist into Monferno, sending him back to Spade.

Monferno stood back up slowly. He took a deep breath and prepared for one last attack.

"Mach Punch!"

"Brick Break!"

Both Pokémon took off at top speeds. They both leapt into the air and collided, neither showing that they would give. They landed on the ground gracefully, facing opposite ways from one another. It was only a matter of seconds, but it felt like years before one of them would fall.

Monferno fell to the ground, unable to continue.

Spade clenched his fists and walked up slowly to his Pokémon. He knelt down and pat him on his back.

"Maybe next time, buddy," Spade whispered.

Juno returned Zeus and grinned. "That was fun, Spade. I'm glad that you could give me such an exciting battle."

Alex and Abby ran up to the duo. Alex looked a little distraught.

"Hey, Juno. Your ship is here now," he said, pointing out into the distance.

Juno sighed. "It looks like I'm out."

"You're leaving?" Spade asked. He felt a sudden surge of sadness. Something that he never knew how to express.

Juno nodded. "I came here to train for awhile. I got what I wanted. I'm going to go back now and kick butt in Kanto."

Spade stuck out his hand. "Good luck."

Juno took his hand and shook it.

With that, Juno left on her ship back to Kanto and Alex left to travel around Johto a bit more. Spade watched Juno's ship leave. He knew that he would one day see her again. And maybe, if he was stronger, they could battle once more.

* * *

><p><strong>AN One of my favorite battles I've written. There is hardly ever a time that I pull from a battle and go 'Damn...'. So, I am proud of it! This could be the last time Juno appears, or not. It just depends on what I want to do. We will be back next Wednesday with Hazel's story!**


	35. The Coordinator

Two contests in a row, Abby had lost. She had two options, try again, or give up. Give up was not on Abby's mind. The only thing on Abby's mind was winning and getting to the Grand Festival.

The two trainers stood in front of the contest hall. Abby took many deep breaths, trying to get the courage to step through the doors.

"Abby!" A loud, high pitched voice squeaked.

Abby turned and smiled. She had locked eyes with two people that she had not seen for quite awhile. She had never even spoken of them, being distracted by her journey with Spade. It was none other than Abby's little sister, Amber, and her grandmother.

Amber jumped into Abby's arms, letting herself swing around. She shared the same green eyes as Abby, but had strawberry blonde hair. She wore baggy clothes, giving her a tomboy look. Abby put her down and pulled her grandma in for a hug. Her grandma wore a soft blue blouse and a blue full-length skirt. Her hair was a graying black that she pulled back into a bun.

"What are you both doing here?" Abby asked. She seemed out of breath from excitement.

"I talked to Professor Oak, he said that you were having some trouble with winning contests. A little bird told us about where we could find you next, and we came here to cheer you on," her grandmother explained.

"Who is this?" Amber asked, scanning Spade, up and down. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Abby shook her head and blushed. "Oh no! This is Spade. He has been traveling with me around the Johto Region."

Amber scrunched her lips together and glared at Spade. "You're ugly! What's with your red hair?"

"What?!" Spade screamed.

"Amber…" Abby mumbled.

"Are we going to get this going?" Spade asked. He had grown annoyed with the family reunion.

"That's right! We're here to watch you perform! Let's get in there!" Amber squeaked happily.

The group made their way into the stadium. Abby went to the back while her family and Spade found seats.

"Welcome one and all to the Olivine City Pokémon Contest! Today we will watch as our wonderful Pokémon Coordinators face off for the wonderful Olivine Ribbon!" the announcer screamed, holding up the ribbon for the cameras to get a close up. She then pointed at the judges. "And our judges of this contest will be the Olivine Nurse Joy, Mr. Raoul Contesta, and Rouge Blaise!"

The cameras panned over the three judges. The first two were familiar to people who casually watched contest, while the third was a well-known coordinator herself.

Abby sat in the locker room, going over her appeal. Now that her family was here, she had to be impressive. She watched the screen, twiddling her thumbs and waiting for her name to come up.

"I hope that she uses Pinki Pie!" Amber screamed, whenever Abby's name had appeared on the screen.

Spade glared. "You mean Ponyta?"

The two exchanged angry looks. It was only a few moments, but they already did not get along. Abby's grandmother was distracted by all of the pretty lights to notice anything.

Abby walked onto the stage, Poké Ball in hand. The lights shone onto her, letting her dress sparkle. She daintily threw the Poké Ball out, letting her Eevee, Nika, appear.

"Sunny Day!" Abby ordered.

Nika opened her mouth and looked up. She released a red orb into the air, which exploded and created an artificial sun that warmed the room. Nika struck a pose, gleaming from the sunlight.

"This next part is cool," Spade whispered to Amber. Even though they did not get along, they could both appreciate the appeal.

"Solarbeam!"

Eevee's teeth began to glow, and in only a matter of seconds, she blast a powerful, green beam from her mouth. The beam blew up loudly, letting the remains sparkle to the ground.

"Whoa!" Amber and grandma said in sync.

"The best part about that, Eevee cannot normally learn Solarbeam, even from a Technical Machine. Abby received some special training with Nika to learn it," Spade informed the little girl.

Abby bowed to the crowd and ran backstage. She found her spot on the bench and took a seat. The rest of the appeals flew by quickly. She knew that there were only three rounds in this contest. She just had to make it past the appeals round, then the two battling rounds would start.

A girl took a seat next to Abby and sighed.

"It's too bad," she said quietly. She had red hair that she pulled into pigtails. Her long white dress fit her body well. It was complimented by a black and golden belt.

"What is?" Abby asked. She should have just nodded.

The girl smiled. "I read about your last two contests. Two losses in a row has to be hard… A third loss would probably put you out completely."

Abby glared. "What makes you think I'm going to lose?"

The girl stood up and put her fingers to her forehead. "Because I'm in the contest. Haven't you ever heard of me? I'm Oralia Mormile-undefeated coordinator!"

"I've never heard of you," Abby mumbled. She looked away, acting like she did not care about a thing Oralia had to say.

Oralia grabbed something from the bag that was fastened onto her belt. She pulled out a ribbon case and clicked the latch, opening it up and revealing four ribbons.

"Read 'em and weep!"

That had got to Abby. She had only won three ribbons thus far, and if she allowed herself to be the person who let this girl win her fifth ribbon, there would be a problem.

"And now we'll be announcing our top four coordinators!" the announcer screamed into her microphone.

Rouge stood up from her podium and grabbed ahold of a microphone. She wore a sparkling red dress and had make-up on that made her lips pop out. She had a nice curvy body and long, straight blonde hair.

"I'd like to thank everyone for their appeals today! Just know, that if you didn't make it to the next round, we thought that everyone did awesome today!" she said.

The crowd responded with a loud cheer. Spade sat back in his chair. He knew that it was all for show. They knew that there were plenty of bad appeals. Spade could specifically recall an appeal where a man named Sergio tried to sing with a baritone Diglett. It was not pleasant.

"But we have narrowed it down to our top four, and we'd like to show you the results now!" Behind Rouge, the television showcased four cards which flipped over together, revealing Abby and Oralia's faces.

"For shame! It looks like I'll be knocking you out of the tournament. That is, if we're paired together," Oralia said with an evil grin.

"These four will be moving onto the battle rounds," Rouge announced. The display mixed the cards and put them into the bracket. Abby was battling first, then Oralia would be up. "Good luck to all of you!"

"I don't need luck when I'm so talented!" Oralia boasted. She turned to Abby. "Good luck, Ling!"

_Why are some trainers like that? Spade is really smug when it comes to battling, but at least he isn't in your face. Well, most the time, at least. More importantly, how and why does she know so much about me? _Abby pondered.

She shook it off and ran down the hallway. She was directed to go to the blue corner and wait for further instructions. She knew how it all worked; it was having to wait for everything that bothered her.

"This first battle of the semi-final round of the Olivine Contest will now begin! Five minutes will be put on the clock. As most of you may know, to defeat your opponent you must either knock out their Pokémon, deplete their points entirely, or have the higher amount of points once the buzzer goes off," the announcer explained to the audience. "Our first match is between Domingo Hennesy and Abby Ling! Now let's begin!"

Abby's opponent was a boy who looked only a looked a couple years older than her. He wore baggy pants that were poorly held up by a green belt. Over that, he had a long sleeved shirt with random green markings on them. His hair was slicked back, but some hair fell in his face.

"Let's hit the stage, Smeargle!" Domingo called, throwing his Poké Ball with a backhanded throw onto the stage.

A bipedal dog appeared on the stage. He was light brown and had a long tail with a lime green tip.

"This time we'll do better. Let's go, Rin!" Abby said, releasing her Absol from his Poké Ball.

"Smeargle, the Painter Pokémon. A special fluid oozes from the tip of its tail. It paints the fluid everywhere to mark its territory," Spade's Pokédex read.

"I guess that explains the marks on his sweater," Spade commented.

"Abby is going to have to watch out. Smeargle are able to learn any attack. That means that Absol could be in trouble," Grandma Ling informed Spade.

"You can do it, Rin!" Amber cried out.

A loud ding went off, signaling for the match to start.

"Air Cutter, Smeargle!"

"I don't think so! Razor Wind!"

Smeargle ducked low, grasping his tail. On the tip of his tail, a white light appeared. He dashed forward, ready to jab.

Absol was prepared. The horn on his head glowed white, collecting energy into as though it was a typhoon. Absol jumped into the air and swung his head around. The attacks clashed, throwing Smeargle back to his trainer.

Abby grinned. "Let's get close with a Quick Attack!"

Absol gained his footing and charged up energy. In the matter of seconds, he was bounding off towards Smeargle.

"Signal Beam!" Domingo ordered.

Smeargle pointed his tail at Rin, and a bright, multi-colored beam burst out of it. The beam smacked into Rin's face, tossing him back.

"That was super-effective. I can't risk taking another hit like that," Abby murmured to herself.

Absol struggled to get up, but when he did, he nodded at Abby, telling her that he could still go.

"Alright! Let's get around 'em with Double Team!" Abby ordered. A new strategy was put in to place. She just had to ensure that she could get close to Smeargle.

Rin closed his eyes and began to multiply rapidly, encircling Smeargle. The clones moved around so fast, it appeared that there were more than one hundred.

"That's no problem! Comet Punch!" Domingo called calmly.

Smeargle spun and began to punch at a blinding speed, laying into each and every one of the clones. As the punches became more frantic, they also got stronger. Absol too slow for the attacks, being punched in the face, forcing him to slide back a few feet.

"You won't be able to beat me with offensive combat. I've trained Smeargle to be a top battler," Domingo said with a smug smile.

"Thanks for the advice! Rin, use Future Sight!" Abby commanded. Even if she felt like she did not have the upper hand, she still could act like she was.

Rin close his eyes and his body glowed a slight purple tint for a few seconds. After the glow died down, everything went calm.

"What are you planning?" Domingo snapped. "We'll just end this! Smeargle, Icy Wind!"

Smeargle opened his mouth and released a chilling breeze. The wind brushed against Rin, making him fall back slightly.

"Rin, use Razor Wind!" Abby screamed.

Absol pushed himself off of the ground and into the air. He let loose his attack from his horn, smashing into Smeargle and stopping the attack.

Both Pokémon breathed heavily. Domingo prepared to make his next move before a bright purple light appeared, wrapping itself around Smeargle and squeezing. The purple aura disappeared, and Smeargle fell to the ground.

Three red _X's_ appeared on the podiums of the three judges. Smeargle could no longer continue, therefore Abby would move on to the next round.

Abby and Domingo made their way to the back. After an exchange of laughs and strategies during their battle, Domingo joined the audience.

Oralia fought with a Raichu. In only a matter of two minutes, she had brought down her opponent's points to zero. If Abby continued to battle with pure force, then she could not beat Oralia. Juno knew what she was doing when it came to battling, but Abby was yet to face an opponent with great skills in contest battling. This would definitely be a challenge.

Both trainers, after a five minute break, made their way to the battlefield and prepared for battle. Absol stood at Abby's side, while Sergeant, Oralia's Raichu, stood at her side.

"This is our final round! Both of these trainers were able to easily defeat their opponents in the last round and will now face off for the Olivine Ribbon! I'd like you all to give a round of applause to Abby Ling and Oralia Mormile!" the announcer screamed. "The same rules apply from the last round! Now let's begin!"

Both Pokémon walked onto the stage and the ding signaled that they could begin.

"Let's use Quick Attack!" Abby ordered quickly. If she could get to Oralia fast, she could beat her.

Absol charged up his attack and took off down the stage.

"Sergeant, ThunderPunch!"

Rin tried to pull back, but Sergeant slammed his fist, crackling with sparks, into Rin's jaw. The small explosion made it rain sparks onto Raichu, but threw Rin into the air.

"Now Thunderbolt!"

Raichu absorbed in the sparks that had fallen and released a lightning bolt from his body. The volts hit the airborne Absol, making him fall to the ground.

"What a wonderful appeal by Raichu!" Rouge cheered. The other judges stared at her, needing everyone to stay at an unbiased.

"Can you get up, Rin?" Abby asked. She could not lose. This is not a battle that she could afford to lose. Not with her family here. Not after losing two times in a row.

Absol, shaking from the electric attacks, stood back up. He roared into the air, trying to intimidate Raichu.

"Alright! Let's use, Future Sight!" Abby commanded, hoping to get her foot back in the door.

Absol focused all of his energy and began to glow the purple tint. It exploded off of him and rained down.

"It looks like Rin is using his psychic powers to make him shine just like Sergeant had used sparks previously!" the announcer screamed.

"I don't think so! Sergeant, Electro Ball!" Oralia demanded.

Raichu soared through the air, flipping and creating a ball of electricity at the tip of his tail. That, along with the speed, created a beam of light that encircled Raichu. He then let loose the ball, forcing it to spiral straight for Rin.

"We'll break through it!" Abby said with a smile. Her Absol had given her hope. "Razor Wind!"

Absol jumped into the air and let the white energy fly from his horn. Absol's attack easily broke through energy ball, and continued. It smashed into Sergeant, making him fall to the ground.

"We can't let them attack! Quick Attack!" Abby directed.

Absol took off from his spot, a white streak following him.

Raichu stood up, breathing heavily from the pain. He glared at the incoming Absol, preparing his next attack.

"Sergeant, DoubleSlap!"

Sergeant rose his hand, ready to smack relentlessly.

"Double Team!" Abby screamed.

As soon as Sergeant's hand came down, Absol moved out of the way, created a clone. He surrounded Raichu, who looked around frantically.

Oralia opened her mouth to make another command, but the purple energy had reappeared. It attacked itself to Sergeant, sending psychic energy into him. The energy exploded off of Raichu, leaving the Pokémon standing, but only barely.

"We have to end this!" Oralia screamed. She clenched her teeth, and her hands curled into fists.

"I agree!" Abby declared. "Rin, Razor Wind!"

All of the clones suddenly disappeared, leaving only Rin, who stood behind Raichu. He jumped into the air, absorbing all of the wind throughout the area.

"ThunderPunch!"

Sergeant turned around, his fist glowing with sparks. Absol flung his horn, and Raichu jabbed his fist. Both attacks clashed, throwing both Pokémon, and causing a giant explosion to fill the room. When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon stood on their respective sides of the field.

The buzzer went off, signaling that time was up. Everyone turned their attention to the points, which looked identical.

"The winner of the Olivine Contest and the Olivine Ribbon is…" the announcer started, trying to start build up. Little did everyone know, she had no clue who won either. The points were too close.

The screen started to transition to the winner and the winner's picture was shown.

"Abby Ling and her Absol, Rin!" the announcer screamed.

After Abby had celebrated her victory on stage with Absol, met the judges, and changed into her normal clothes, she met the group outside.

"You did great, Abby!" Amber cheered while Abby walked out of the stadium. "I can't believe how awesome Rin was!"

"I'm very proud of you," Grandma Ling said with her calm demeanor.

Abby smiled at Spade who lifted his fist for a fist bump. Abby fist bumped him and gave a hug to her little sister.

"We do have to go though. We'll definitely be watching you at the Grand Festival," Grandma Ling said before giving Abby a hug.

Abby's family walked away while the sun set. Amber walked backward, waving dramatically at Abby and Spade. Abby waved back casually, and Spade just glared at her.

"Hey, Ling!" a familiar, smug voice, called from behind the two.

The trainers turned and locked eyes with Oralia.

"What is it?" Abby asked. She normally would try to be nicer, but this girl just annoyed her.

Oralia rolled her eyes and stuck out her hand. "Good luck at getting your next ribbon. I want to see you at the Grand Festival. Then I'll beat you."

Abby stared at her hand until Spade nudged her. She grabbed Oralia's hand and shook it firmly.

Without a word, Oralia let go and turned. She walked the opposite way of the Ling family.

It looked like Abby had made herself a new rival.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Abby gets a rival! Well, a new rival. Andrew is a friendly rival, while Oralia will be mean. I made a big mistake in the last chapter. Technically, Spade won, because he only used three Pokemon. I will edit that when I get time. Eventually... Oh yeah! It's my birthday! Happy birthday to me!**


	36. The Boat

As a trainer, there is no better feeling than winning a brand new gym badge. The first time that they hold it in their hands. When they can feel it and take in its presence**.** And the feeling of accomplishment the trainer receives.

But also as a trainer, there is no worse feeling than being denied a gym badge. Whether it be because you lost your gym battle, the gym leader is too stubborn to give it to you, or the gym leader decides to take a vacation.

"No!" Spade screamed. He pounded his fists on the doors of the Olivine Gym. "No! No! No!"

Abby glanced up at a sign that hung off of the gym doors and smiled while she read it. "Currently out. Will return in a few days," she read."Well, I guess this means that we'll be heading over to Cianwood for a gym battle. A gym battle is a gym battle."

Spade turned and glared at her. "Shut up, Abby! You don't understand! This is one of the strongest gyms in all of Johto. I have been so pumped up to get a battle with her. Then she pulls this crap!"

"Calm down… We can go and get your gym battle with Clock over in Cianwood, then we can come back. See it as more training," Abby said, hoping to calm the angered boy.

Spade punched, with his good arm, the door one more time and finally calmed.

"So, what is the plan?"

On the beach of Olivine, Spade and Abby had found a boat rental service. They could take the boat to Cianwood, so long as they had a boater with them.

Abby paid the rental shop, since it was her idea, and the two got in their boat. The captain of their small boat was a quiet man. He had a lengthy white beard, a blue vest with no shirt under it, and baggy black pants. He stuck a dip of chew into his mouth and spit into a can. Without a single word, he started up the boat, and they were on their way.

Spade sat at the end of the boat, staring off into the ocean. He never really liked the sea. Nothing there interested him. This could be, of course, the fact that he had been in a submarine multiple times as a little boy. Traveling with Giovanni, he had seen a lot.

It was different for Abby. Living in Pallet Town, she was always near a beach. She had never traveled farther than the beach, but she had always wondered what was out there. She also loved swimming and just relaxing next to the water. It was nice to just take a break.

"If ya want ta fish, ya can," the captain told the two of them. He pointed at two Super Rods that were placed at the bottom of his ladder.

"That sounds exciting…" Abby said sarcastically.

Spade shook his head and stood up. He grabbed one of the polls and stared at it up and down. He walked back to the end of the boat and cast his line in. The boat moved slow enough to where the bait only moved casually. Super Rods were well known for adapting to the movement of the water, so the movement wouldn't prove that much of a problem.

Spade sat down and stared blankly at his line. He never fished before, but there was a first time for , he was yet to capture a water-type Pokémon. This could have been his chance to find something strong.

His hopes were heightened when his rod began to wiggle around a little bit more. He grabbed it slowly and lightly pulled on it.

"Yer gon' want to pull on it slowly, an' wait fer it ta clamp hard on," the captain explained. He was not even looking back. It was like he just knew what was going on.

Spade held onto the rod and waited for the strong tug. As soon as his rod shifted quickly, Spade grabbed ahold of the reel and tugged as hard as he could. A dark blue Pokémon flew out of the ocean and landed on the boat. It looked like a clam, and it could not move out of the water.

"Shellder, the Bivalve Pokémon. It swims facing backward by opening and closing its two-piece shell. It is surprisingly fast," Spade's golden Pokédex chimed.

"Shellder looks like it will be a strong battler. I think I'll catch it," Spade noted out loud.

"Shellder cannot move on the land. In the water, though, it will be a worthy battler," the captain said, peering back at the Pokémon. "And that Shellder looks like it enjoys a good battle."

Spade looked over Shellder. It had many marks all of its shell, like it had battled many times before.

"Shellder!" it cried out angrily.

Spade smiled. "You wanna come with me, Shellder?"

Shellder nodded slowly from the inside of her shell, but her glare never wavered.

"But not without a battle," the captain mentioned. His eyes never left the sea. "A Pokémon with that kind of fire wouldn't come that easy."

"Alright then. Let's go, Flareon!" Spade called, throwing a Poké Ball into the air.

"Flare?" Flareon wondered, taking a look around at the sea. He smiled mischievously, probably planning a prank for later.

"Fire Spin!" Spade ordered.

Flareon twisted his head and released a plethora of flames from his mouth Before the swirling flames could reach Shellder, she clamped down her shell, blocking herself from any damage.

"We'll have to get close…" Spade noted.

Shellder quickly opened back up her shell, and a multi-colored orb appeared from the mouth. It turned into a beam, which raced for Flareon.

"Dodge it with Quick Attack!"

Flareon easily maneuvered around the attack, then shot forward. He slammed his body into Shellder, barely moving the Pokémon.

Shellder took a quick look around and snapped his shell onto Flareon's tail. Flareon's eyes widened, and he began to flail around uncontrollably.

"Flareon, use all of your strength and toss Shellder into the air!"

Flareon winced and calmed himself. He kicked into the air and flung Shellder off of him. Shellder flipped through the air, unable to control how she would land.

"Flamethrower!"

Flareon gaped open his mouth and flames bellowed from it. The flames engulfed Shellder, who then fell to the ground, fried.

"Go, Poké Ball!" Spade yelled while throwing his a Lure Ball that he had received from Kurt.

The ball absorbed Shellder and fell to the ground. It shook slightly, signaling that Shellder was putting up a fight. It then _dinged_ softly. Spade had caught Shellder.

Spade grabbed the Poké Ball and put it into his pocket. "Looks like I have myself a Shellder now…"

"And jus' in time fer us to get in Cianwood," the captain said. He pointed out to where they would dock.

Spade went to the end of the boat, along with Abby. He looked onto the new town where he would hopefully win his next gym badge.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Next chapter, Spade will be taking on his 6th gym! I can't wait for it. A few surprises in the battle. Like, a new gym leader! I'm halfway done writing this story, so we're getting close!**

**Q1) How would you have Shellder battle on land? I've had a few troubles doing it.**

**Q2) I've currently not been able to write that well. What do you do to get inspired?**


	37. The Race Against the Clock Pt 1

The climate in Cianwood was completely different from anything that Spade and Abby had experienced throughout their travels in Johto. Even though it was winter, the weather was warm. People still ran out onto the beach in their swimsuits. It was like a summer's day in Cianwood.

Spade did not waste anytime finding the Pokémon Gym. He entered as quickly as he could and found the gym leader.

"You here for a challenge?" the gym leader asked. He only wore ripped up grey pants. Other than that, he showed off his ripped abs and his bulky arms. His name was Clock, and he succeeded the former gym leader in Cianwood only a few months ago.

"I came here after I found out that the gym leader in Olivine is currently out. Are you open for challenges?" Spade asked. He wanted to sound as polite as he could, but he was really impatient for a gym battle.

Clock nodded, his grungy brown hair bobbing with the motion. "I say bring on the challengers! I haven't had a good challenger in awhile!"

Abby sat in the bleachers, her Eevee, Nika, joining her on her shoulder. Abby thought that maybe she and Spade would go to the Pokémon Center first. She was definitely wrong.

The two trainers found their ways to each trainer's box, and the referee came out of his resting area. He looked like he had just got done taking a nap. His hair was messy, and he wore blue sweat pants.

Behind Clock slept a big, green Pokémon. It looked as though it could have been an evolved form of a Chikorita. This only reminded Spade of his constant losses against Free.

"This battle will be between Gym Leader, Clock, and Gym Challenger… uh…" he said, looking lazily at Spade.

"Spade Deno…" Spade mumbled. He had stopped using pseudonym Jokix Terray because no Gym Leader had been suspicious.

"Craig Lamo!" the referee announced. Spade mentally slapped himself as the referee got his name wrong. "It will be a two-on-two singles battle! A special condition of the Cianwood Gym is that you must defeat Clock in under five minutes! Begin!"

_I only have five minutes. This could be really difficult. I'm going to have to knock this guy out as fast as possible_, Spade thought.

"I'll go first. C'mon out, Tyrogue!" Clock announced, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. A small, brown, humanoid-looking Pokémon appeared.

Spade scanned the new Pokémon, trying to gain any information that'll give him an advantage. "Tyrogue, the Scuffle Pokémon. Tyrogue is always bursting with energy. To make itself stronger, it keeps on fighting even if it loses."

"Let's go, Magmar!" Spade screamed, tossing his Poké Ball into the air.

Magmar came out of the ball and stretched. He was ready for a rumble.

"Let's go!" the ref said. He then pressed a button and his timer activated.

"Tyrogue, Fake Out!" Clock ordered.

Tyrogue disappeared then reappeared in front of Magmar. He smacked his hands against Magmar's face, making him fall back slightly. Magmar's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"Don't let that affect you! Magmar, Fire Punch!" Spade ordered. He was surprised that all Magmar did was stayed where he was, shaking.

"Fake Out sure did what I wanted it to! Now, Tyrogue, use Low Sweep!" Clock said, happy with a working attack.

Tyrogue slid with his leg out, trying to sweep Magmar off of his feet. Magmar grabbed ahold of Tyrogue's leg, stopping the attack. Tyrogue looked on in fear, while Magmar glared daggers into Tyrogue.

"Good! Now throw him!" Spade yelled happily.

Magmar gripped Tyrogue's arm tighter and flung him into the air. Tyrogue screamed loudly, before Magmar punched him as hard as he could in his stomach with his fiery fist. Tyrogue collapsed to the floor, holding onto his stomach.

Magmar looked over him and prepared to let loose flames on him, but a red stream covered Tyrogue and returned him into his Poké Ball.

"I'm withdrawing Tyrogue from the battle. I don't want Magmar hurting him anymore. It seems that I've underestimated you," Clock said while he tucked away his Poké Ball. He grabbed another and threw it into the air. A Pokémon with long, spiraling legs and arms appeared. It struck a pose, eagerly wanting to fight.

"I guess this means that Tyrogue is being pulled from the match…" the ref said quietly. He looked like he was already falling asleep.

"Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon, and an evolved form of Tyrogue. This amazing Pokémon has an awesome sense of balance. It can kick in succession from any position," the golden Pokédex chimed.

"This one shouldn't be as easy…" Spade murmured.

"Double Kick!" Clock ordered.

Hitmonlee dashed forward. He kicked into Magmar's stomach, making Magmar wince from pain. Hitmonlee then brought up his knee and knocked Magmar into the air.

Before Spade could make his move, Clock was already on it.

"Hi Jump Kick!"

Hitmonlee squatted down and then shot into the air, extending his leg out to kick. He kicked into Magmar's jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

The lazy referee glanced over and began to raise his flag.

"No!" Clock yelled. The referee looked over and got a closer look at Magmar. Magmar, shaking and bruised, stood back up. Smoke was emerging from his mouth and nostrils. Spade knew that Magmar was one of the strongest fighters on his team. And this fighter could have just reached his anger point.

"Flamethrower!" Spade ordered.

Flames bellowed from Magmar's mouth, racing across the battlefield.

"Dodge and Blaze Kick!"

Hitmonlee easily maneuvered around the flames and jumped into the air, his foot blazing with fire.

"Fire Punch!" Spade screamed desperately.

Magmar jabbed, punching Hitmonlee's strong foot. The attacks exploded on contact, throwing both back. Magma laid down, unconscious in front of Spade.

"Um, Magmar is unable to battle… This round goes to Clock and Hitmonlee," the ref lazily announced.

Spade returned Magmar into his ball, happy for his victory of Tyrogue, but upset that Hitmonlee was a strong competitor. He grabbed his Lure Ball and grinned. It was time to test out his newest Pokémon in battle. He had not caught it at its weakest, so maybe it could still do great.

"Let's go, Shellder!"

"What?" Abby screeched from her seat. "You just caught Shellder!"

Spade glared at her then focused his attention back on the battle. "I know that Shellder can do this!"

"If that's what you think," Clock laughed. "Hitmonlee, use Low Kick!"

Hitmonlee did a baseball slide for Shellder, who looked prepared to take the hit.

"Withdraw!" Spade ordered, using the notes that he mentally took from his battle with Shellder.

Shellder clamped her shell together as hard as she could. Hitmonlee slid into her and bounced off. He immediately grabbed his foot, which throbbed in pain.

Spade looked at his Pokédex for Shellder's moves.

"I've never tried this one before… Shellder, use Razor Shell!"

Shellder began to spin, the outline of his body turning a light blue. He turned upright and took off for Hitmonlee. He connected, sending Hitmonlee into the air. Shellder then stopped and glared at the Pokémon.

Clock looked calm. He knew exactly how he could win it, if he could get around Spade's strategy.

"Meditate!" he yelled.

Hitmonlee put his hands together, like was praying, and landed on the ground. He closed his eyes and energy surged through his body.

"Prepare for this, Shellder!" Spade warned.

"We'll finish this with this last attack! Hitmonlee, Hi Jump Kick!" Clock ordered. For the first time during the battle, he seemed serious.

Hitmonlee, using all of his energy, flung himself into the air.

"Maneuver around it with Razor Shell!" Spade commanded. He knew that Shellder could not move well on land, but the way that Shellder had used Razor Shell was perfect for getting around.

Shellder started his attack, completely moving around Hitmonlee's attack. Hitmonlee smashed into the ground. He held onto his leg, wincing from the pain. Shellder spun around then darted forward, slamming the full force of his hard body into Hitmonlee. Hitmonlee fell back, unable to continue.

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle," the lazy ref announced, sighing just a little bit. "The win goes to the Shellder and the challenger!"

"I can't believe he actually did it," Abby whispered, relaxing in her seat.

Two red streams returned both Pokémon into their Poké Balls. The two trainers met in the middle of the battlefield where Clock had a badge prepared. The referee jogged to them slowly. He held out the timer which had a total of one minute and twenty-seven seconds left.

"You beat me pretty badly. I feel bad for Tyrogue," Clock said with a smile. He handed out the badge. It looked like a fist with the thumb sticking out a little bit. "You deserve this Storm Badge!"

Spade grabbed it and put it in his case with the rest of his badges.

Abby joined the group. She gave Spade a pat on the shoulder.

"So, where do you plan on going next?" Clock asked with a toothy grin.

Spade glared at him. Abby knew that look; Spade was about to say something that would not be very polite. "Clock, how did you become a gym leader? You started off with a clear weakling then you threw out a Pokémon against me that made about the same challenge as any other trainer would. I'm sorry to say this, but you are the weakest gym leader I've ever faced off against."

Clock looked taken back. He bit his bottom lip, and the Pokémon behind him rose his head.

"Hey! You watch it! If Clock would've used Meganium against you, you would've lost just like that!" the ref snapped, snapping his fingers and showing actual emotion for the first time.

"Spade!" Abby said, seemingly irritated.

"No," Clock said, interrupting Abby before she could say anything else. "It's true. I don't make for a good gym leader. I just like to test trainers and see how their bonds are with their Pokémon and to see if they can react quickly. I'm not that great."

"But, Clock," the ref said.

"It is my duty as a gym leader to be stronger… Spade. I like you. If you want a real challenge, then you may want to try my two best friends. Have you ever heard of Splash, from Newbark Town, or Fai, from Cherrygrove?"

Spade nodded.

"Then you give those two a try. Trust me, they will not disappoint you. If it is a tough battle you're looking for, then you'll love those battles." He stuck out his hand. "Good luck, Spade."

Spade grabbed his hand, and they shook.

"Wait, his name is Spade?" the ref asked. He chuckled. "He should really speak up…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN And another gym badge! That makes six! I'm not sure what happens next chapter, but Spade may be facing off for yet another gym badge! Maybe!**

**Q1) What'd you think of the battle?**

**A/N 2**

**For anyone who reads this and not our other stories, you should check out Free and Heather's Adventure. It has part 2!**

**Q2) Any words of encouragement to get me out of my slump/depression/writer's block?**


	38. The Friendship

The two had rented another boat for their journey back to Olivine. When there, Spade would waste no time facing off against the gym leader. But now, battling Fai and Splash was on his mind. He was ready for the Olivine Gym Leader, but was he ready for the other two? From what he had found out, they are two of the three strongest gym leaders in Johto.

This time, both trainers sat at the end of the boat, fishing. Hopefully not capturing anything to big, but it gave them something fun to do to pass the time.

They also released a few of their Pokémon to get some fresh air. Monferno took a nap near the captain, Zubat flew through the air, Nika rode on Abby's shoulder, Sam hid under Abby's bench, Shellder darted through the water, and Bing, Abby's Venonat, rode on the head of Spade's Red Gyarados as he sifted through the water.

"I wish we could have stayed in Cianwood for just a little bit longer… It would have been cool to get in some of the sights," Abby commented, looking into the ocean.

Spade shook his head. "Do you know how close I am to winning enough badges to enter into the Silver Conference? You should want to get a move-on too, having four out of your five ribbons."

Abby's eyes widened. Not because she was reminded that she had most of her ribbons, but because of the fact that Spade actually remembered that. She reached into her bag and pulled out her case, opening it and looking over her ribbons.

"You should be proud. But more than that, you should be anxious to win yourself your next ribbon!" Spade said with a laugh. It was one of the first times that Spade had laughed on their journey.

The two sat in silence for a bit before Abby chose to speak up. "Why were you so mean to Clock? He wasn't really a bad gym leader. If he would have landed that Hi Jump Kick, you would've been done."

Spade looked down into the water. He did not know what overcame him at the time. There was just no tolerance for someone that was that easy to beat.

"I think it is because Morty and Pryce were so difficult. Clock was just no challenge. Yes, he could have beat me with that Hi Jump Kick, but he didn't. I beat him with little strategy. He lost to a Pokémon that is very immobile on land," Spade explained.

Abby sighed. She did not know how to respond to that. After all, Spade did make a good point. The last time that Spade had an easy gym battle was with Bugsy.

"You did not have to be rude, though," she said this with a smile. "You only need eight badges. Are you still going to take on all of those gym leaders? You only have to beat one."

Spade nodded lightly. "You make a good point. But I think it is best to face all of the gym leaders and collect all of their gym badges. It would show how strong I really am!"

"If that's what you want to do. I think after I win my last ribbon, I'll just train. The minimum is enough for me!" Abby announced happily.

They sat in silence for a little bit more. The two watched how fast Shellder could move underwater. It gave Spade plenty of ideas for water battles.

"Have we ever just sat back like this and talked? I've known you for about four months and I can't say that we have," Abby noted.

Spade looked at her. He knew that she was going to continue talking no matter what he said. He enjoyed his peace and quiet, but maybe it would be nice to actually talk to Abby.

"So, you have never spoke of your grandmother and your little monster of a sister. Explain them," Spade said. He had given in to being nice.

Abby laughed. "Well… I was born in Pallet Town to a single mother. Her name was Grace. My father flew out of the picture when I was five, and he never came back. My mom was a mildly known model. You may know her for her Persian, Gigi." Spade shook his head, but Abby continued on with her story anyways. "My mom was often out of the house for photo shoots, so I'd live with my grandmother. It was my grandmother who convinced me to become a trainer just a few months before me and you met. She told me that I needed to find who I am…"

Spade looked off into the ocean. "Now… I'm going to regret this. But what about your sister?"

"Amber barely has any memories of our dad or my mother," Abby started. "She has always been around our grandmother. There isn't much to tell about her… She is really ornery, as you saw. And the day that I left for my journey, she whined so much. It took a few hours to convince her that she should stay." She laughed.

The two stayed quiet for awhile.

"What about you?" Abby asked.

Spade looked over at her. He still had not told her about how he got Chimchar, or that he was the younger brother of the leader of a criminal syndicate. He laughed and confessed everything. Every little detail from the moment that he first saw what Team Rocket would do, to him meeting Abby.

Abby looked into the ocean. She seemed a little bit taken back by how much has happened with Spade. Spade would not be surprised if she wanted to leave him now. Anyone else would.

"So, you are still planning to take them down?" Abby asked.

Spade nodded. "I can't stand what they've done… I understand if you want to leave me now…"

"No!" Abby snapped. "I don't care if you've had such a bad past. What really matters, is who you are now. I'll admit, when I first met you, I thought you were a jerk. I still do, but you've definitely changed over the past few months. I guess, I can call you my best friend…"

Spade laughed. "Yeah… I guess so…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN So, I decided not to update Free and Heather's adventures today, knowing that it is the last chapter of that season. So, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer!**

**Next chapter will be Spade vs. Jasmine. Any predictions?**

**Q1) What do you think of Spade taking on 10 gyms instead of 8?**

**Q2) Who is your favorite Pokemon on Spade's team?**


	39. The Steel

**A/N Trying something new with this chapter! Try not to hate me!**

* * *

><p>"This battle will be a 3-on-3 match between Gym Leader, Jasmine, and Challenger, Spade Deno! The battle will be over when all of one's Pokémon are ruled unable to continue. Jasmine may not substitute. Begin!"<p>

"Let's go, Magnemite!" Jasmine called, throwing her Poké Ball onto the field.

"Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon. It is attracted by electromagnetic waves. It may approach trainers if they are using their PokéGear," Spade's Pokédex announced.

_This may be a bad idea, but I will need speed to take on Magnemite. I could easily obliterate Magnemite with Flareon or Monferno, but they have battled a lot recently. If I can match its speed, I can beat it, _Spade thought.

"Let's win this, Zubat!"

* * *

><p>It only had taken a day's ride, and the duo disembarked into Olivine. After a quick lunch, they went to the Pokémon Center to get their Pokémon checked out. During this time, there was almost nothing left to do except for checking out the sights.<p>

Spade sat outside the Pokémon Center and looked into the ocean. Abby had disappeared off somewhere. She said that she would be back in a bit. Spade did not really care. He liked that he got some time alone. It gave him time to think over what has happened lately.

_I wonder how close Giovanni is. Has he returned to Team Rocket? If I wasn't so wrapped up in gym battles, I could devote all of my time to stopping them. But I have to get stronger somehow. I guess that's why I originally got into gym battles… _Spade pondered. Before he could finish his thoughts, the Pokémon Center doors slid open, and Nurse Joy came out, holding a tray of Poké Balls.

"I checked all of your Pokémon, and they are all doing okay. You should be good to go!" Nurse Joy exclaimed.

Spade grabbed his Poké Balls and stuffed them into his pockets.

"Also, I talked to Doctor Bokker. He is on his way here and would like to talk to you. I bet you'll be happy."

The two waited and the muscular doctor showed up in little time.

"Hey, Spade! How's the arm?"

"It could be better, I guess…" Spade responded. He still hated doctors.

Bokker knocked on his cast with two fingers. "How about we go and pull this off?"

Spade's face lighted up, excited that he would no longer feel weak. He hated everything about the cast. It served as a reminder of when he was not strong enough. Every time he struggled to move because of it, he was reminded of his loss against Eoin.

Doctor Bokker and Spade moved into the Pokémon Center. Bokker removed the cast, and Spade's arm was revealed to be almost half as thick as it once was. He stretched it out, feeling it shake as he lifted it.

"I can't believe it. My arm is finally better!" he said happily.

Bokker scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Yeah! It'll take awhile to build up muscle again, but at least the bones are all healed up!"

Spade put back on his jacket, cloaking his skinny arm from the world. He thanked the doctor and went back outside, releasing Monferno from his ball.

"I'm all better now, Monferno!" Spade said enthusiastically. Monferno took a glance at his arm and smiled. He jumped up and down in joy. "This means that we'll both have to continue getting stronger!"

"Spade!" Abby called from the distance. Spade glanced over and noticed that there was another figure with her. They reached him, a wide grin on Abby's face.

"I hear that you are a gym challenger," the teenage girl said. She extended her hand. "My name is Jasmine, the Olivine Gym Leader!"

"You're the gym leader?" Spade asked. He glanced over at Abby and smiled.

"Yeah! Jasmine is in the top ranks of gym leaders! She'd be a great challenge for you!"

Spade grasped her hand. "I'm Spade. Would you accept my challenge?"

Jasmine nodded. "Abby came to my gym and said that I'd have to meet you. I'm really hoping that you are a strong trainer. I haven't had a good challenge for awhile."

* * *

><p>"Zubat, Wing Attack!" Spade ordered.<p>

Zubat zoomed forward, her wings glowing white. She smashed into Magnemite repeatedly, crisscrossing her attacks. Magnemite fell back, looking as though he didn't take any damage.

"Thundershock!" Jasmine called.

While Zubat was close, Magnemite released blue sparks. The sparks zapped Zubat and sent her into a fury.

"Get around, and use Aerial Ace!" Spade commanded. He had to put Zubat's speed to use if he wanted to win this.

Zubat flew around Magnemite and dove down, white streaks following her. She smashed into the steel-type.

"SonicBoom!" Jasmine yelled.

Crescent energy blew from the magnets on Magnemite. They pounded into Zubat, throwing her back to Spade.

"Thunder Wave!"

Thin, blue sparks emerged from the magnet Pokémon. After the blue sparks pierced her body, she fell to the ground.

"Zubat!" Abby screamed.

"Can you go on?" Spade asked. If Zubat were to lose now, then he would be off to a terrible start.

Suddenly, Zubat began to glow. She started to morph and grow until she took a different form.

"Golbat, the Bat Pokémon, and the evolved form of Zubat. However hard its victim's hide may be, it punctures with sharp fangs and gorges itself with blood," the Pokédex chimed.

Spade grinned. A vicious Pokémon would help his victory. He could still utilize her speed, but now power was a big factor.

"Air Cutter!" Spade ordered.

Golbat flapped her wings, bringing up gale force winds. Frisbee-like energy burst out of the winds, slicing into Magnemite. The small Pokémon smashed into the wall and slid down.

"Magnemite is unable to battle! Golbat wins!"

Spade grinned while watching Jasmine return her Pokémon. Golbat evolving was the best thing that could happen for him at the moment. It granted him a stronger Pokémon and slightly refreshed her energy.

"Let's go, Magneton!" Jasmine said, tossing her Poké Ball into the air. A Pokémon, looking like three Magnemite combined into one singular figure, appeared.

"Magneton, the Magnet Pokémon, and the evolved form of Magnemite. Three Magnemite are linked by a strong magnetic force. Earaches will occur if you get too close," Spade's golden Pokédex announced.

"I'll just keep relying on your speed! Work for you, Golbat?" Spade asked. Golbat nodded.

"Not if Magneton is faster!" Jasmine said with a grin. "Magneton, use Flash Cannon!"

"Dodge, then use Wing Attack!"

A ball of metallic energy formed in front of Magneton. It released the attack, a stream of sparks following the energy. Golbat easily moved around the attack and kept flying down the field. She smashed her wings into Magneton, throwing the Pokémon back.

"Keep it up! Use Air Cutter!" Spade ordered. He had figured that he could end this battle easily if he kept attacking head on.

Golbat's wings turned white and she flapped them hard. The crescent energy flew from her wings.

"Zap Cannon!" Jasmine ordered calmly.

Each one of the magnets on Magneton pointed outwards, and an electrical energy was formed. It shot the attack out at Golbat's air energy, destroying all of them completely. The attack continued, zapping Golbat and throwing her to the ground.

"Golbat is unable to battle! Magneton is the winner!" the referee announced.

Spade returned Magneton and glared at Jasmine. "I guess I can't be too mad. After all, Magneton did have the advantage." He threw out his next ball, revealing Granbull to Jasmine.

"Gran…bull!" he cried out, flexing his muscles.

"Granbull, use Headbutt!" Spade ordered.

Granbull bounded across the field. He jumped, smashing his head into Magneton. Magneton fell back a bit but was able to regain its balance.

"Magneton, Gyro Ball!" Jasmine ordered.

Magneton started to spin, a metallic field of energy forming around him. It shot forward and collided with Granbull, throwing him back. Granbull landed upright and slid against the ground.

"Fire Fang!"

Granbull jumped forward and ran on all four of his legs. His lower jaw turned to flames, and he latched them onto Magneton. Magneton fell to the ground, but Granbull got ahold of him quickly. He threw his head around, tearing into the magnet Pokémon.

"Zap Cannon!" Jasmine called.

Magneton charged his energy and blasted Granbull into the air, forcing the Pokémon to unlatch his jaws.

"End this with SonicBoom!" Jasmine said, hoping to end the match quickly.

Magneton flew into the air, only a few feet above Granbull. It released energy from his body, tossing Granbull onto the hard, unforgiving ground.

"Granbull is unable to battle! Magneton wins!" the referee shouted.

Spade closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He returned Granbull and picked his next Pokémon. Machamp materialized on the field and glared at Magneton.

"We can get an easy win here! Zap Cannon!" Jasmine ordered.

Magneton unleashed his attack at Machamp, the attack turning into an orb of energy.

"Karate Chop!" Spade ordered. Machamp was one of his strongest Pokémon. He could handle something like this.

Machamp swung his hand at the ball, knocking it away. The ball smashed into Magneton, making a small explosion. Magneton fell to the ground, static popping off of his body.

"No, Magneton!" Jasmine cried. She knew what a paralysis status looked like.

"Finish this! Cross Chop!" Spade ordered.

Machamp lunged forward. He crossed his arms and slashed them at Magneton. The Pokémon flew back past Jasmine and smashed against the wall. It slid down weakly.

"Magneton is unable to battle!" the referee screamed. "Machamp wins!"

"You did a great job, Magneton," Jasmine told her Pokémon while returning it. "And I know that my Steelix will get this job done! Steelix, let's go!"

A giant snake made of steel appeared. It had a massive jaw that looked like it could crush anything. Certain parts on its body spun around like gears.

"Steelix, the Iron Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Onix. Its body has been compressed deep under the ground. As a result, it is even harder than a diamond," Spade's Pokédex chimed.

"Do you think you still have a chance?" Jasmine asked. She noticed Spade sizing up his situation. He nodded and crossed his arms.

"Your Steelix may be strong and intimidating, but that doesn't mean that my Machamp can't take him. Machamp is one of my strongest Pokémon," Spade exclaimed.

"If that's what you think!" Jasmine retorted. "Steelix, Iron Tail!"

Steelix lunged forward, and the tip of his tail started to glow white.

"Stop it with Vital Throw!"

Machamp flexed his muscles, and when Steelix swung his tail, Machamp caught it. He pulled Steelix closer and prepared to throw him.

"Don't let Machamp throw you!" Jasmine yelled. "Use Thunder Fang!"

Steelix's bottom jaw started to crackle with electricity. He lunged forward, but Machamp was able to jump back and avoid him.

"Cross Chop!" Spade called.

Machamp's arms started to glow once more. He crossed all four of them and jumped forward, smashing his muscular arms into Steelix. The steel snake was thrown back, his body pointing straight into the air.

"While you're there, Sandstorm!" Jasmine ordered. It was as though Steelix knew what he would have to do, preparing his body right away.

Steelix started to spin, digging his tail into the ground. Dirt started to form around him until a sand tornado materialized around him. Machamp tried to hold his ground, but was sucked into the storm.

"Machamp!" Spade cried out. He had been ahead until now.

"Iron Tail!" Jasmine ordered.

Steelix stopped spinning, and the sand dissipated. Machamp started to fall from the air, and Steelix took his chance. He turned around quickly, smashing his tail into Machamp. The fighting-type flew back, colliding with the wall. Machamp slid down the wall and fell to one knee.

"Thunder Fang!"

Steelix lunged forward, clamping his giant, electrified jaws onto Machamp. He let go of Machamp, revealing that Spade's Pokémon had sparks emitting from his body.

"It looks like Machamp is paralyzed," Abby told Nika, her Eevee.

"Fight through it! Vital Throw!" Spade yelled.

Machamp grinned and powered through the pain. He grabbed ahold of Steelix's jaw and spun around, throwing him into the air. Steelix landed against the ground and slid into the wall.

"Keep going! Cross Chop!"

Machamp crossed his arms and cringed from paralysis. He darted down the field, smacking his arms into Steelix. The steel-type grinded against the wall and landed onto the ground once more.

"I say that we end this battle!" Jasmine exclaimed. "Steelix, use what energy you have left, and use DragonBreath!"

Spade grinned. "I agree! Machamp, DynamicPunch!"

Steelix gaped open his mouth, and a green fire-like substance bellowed, tearing up the field while racing through the air. Machamp built up as much power as he could and lunged forward. His right fists started to glow, and he connected with the DragonBreath directly. Machamp fought through and broke Steelix's attack. He continued, jabbing his fists into Steelix's lower jaw. Steelix was thrown into the air but came back down, crashing onto the hard ground.

"Steelix is unable to battle! Machamp and Spade are the winners!" the referee declared.

Spade grinned. He ran out onto the field and put his hand on Machamp's shoulder.

"You did awesome, Machamp! You deserve a really long rest," he said, returning Machamp into his Poké Ball.

Jasmine returned Steelix and walked onto the field. She reached out her hand and revealed a steel-colored octagon. "Here is your new Mineral Badge!"

Spade grabbed ahold of it and held it into the air, letting the light reflect off of it.

Abby ran onto the field, holding onto Nika tightly.

"You did it! You only need one more badge!" she said happily.

"Where do you plan on going next?" Jasmine asked.

Spade grinned. "I plan on taking on Fai, from the Cherrygrove Gym!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN 2 And Spade wins another gym badge! One more gym to go, then he'll have eight! But is that enough for Spade?**

**Q1) Spade constantly calls himself weak. What do you think he should do to prove to himself that he's not?**

**Q2) Next chapter is a special chapter. And I think a long overdue one too! Any predictions?**

**A/N 3 I'd like to thank everyone for supporting us. I've finally got back into my writing spirit. It has taken a long time though!**

**Also, if you haven't read the first part of The Wings of X 46, then go check it out!**


	40. The Tower

Spade and Abby spent another day in Olivine. Abby wanted to spend a few more days near the water, seeing as they did not know when they'd be near a body of water again. They slept in the Pokémon Center, Spade trying to readjust himself to life without his cast. It was almost a sleepless night.

The next morning, Abby woke up, bright and cheery, while Spade was in one of his horrible moods. Abby went off to shower, and Spade forced down an energy drink. He had prepared to leave from Olivine since last night, but Abby had different plans.

"I'm going to go into the market today to get a few more items," Abby said, putting her brown hat on her wet hair. "I also want to spend some alone time on the beach to see if I can find that last bit of inspiration. After all, I do have one more ribbon to win before I can enter the Grand Festival!"

"So, I have to occupy myself for an entire day?" Spade asked. His expression changed to anger.

Abby nodded and picked up Nika. "Yep! I'm pretty sure you can find some way to train!"

Spade growled as Abby left the Pokémon Center. He sat on one of the benches and looked out the window.

"Now I have to find a way to entertain myself…"

After a few hours of sitting around and reading through different magazines, Spade had finally decided to get in some training. It had been a long time since he had trained alone with Monferno. Today would be a good opportunity to do so.

Spade walked out of the Pokémon Center, Monferno following close behind. They ran into the nearby forest, hoping to find a few wild Pokémon.

Not a single noise could be heard through the small forest. No matter how hard the two looked, they could not find any Pokémon to battle.

Spade took a seat on the soft grass and took in a deep breath. Monferno started to lightly punch a nearby tree. Its wood had been slightly rotted away. A strong enough punch could take it down.

"Let's see how easy this is!" Spade said while standing back up. "Monferno, use Mach Punch!"

Monferno reared back before he jumped forward. With ease, he blew through the tree. Spade, from excitement, followed him.

When Spade looked up, he realized that he was back in the city. He must have not gone too far. But what surprised him most, was that four different sets of eyes were staring him down. Four familiar sets of eyes.

"Spade…" Free growled. His Pokémon stood behind him, snarling at Monferno. Spade had almost not recognized him. Free's hair had grown out a little bit longer, swaying way off to the right.

"What are you guys doing here!?" Spade looked surprised for a second, and then regained his composure.

"Camping out," Heather replied, coldly.

"How many badges have you guys got?" Spade asked randomly. He was curious as to how Free and Heather were doing. He was yet to reveal to them that he was collecting gym badges.

"Five," Free grinned, showing them off. He moved his blue, midriff t-shirt to the side.

"Seven," Spade sneered, showing his in the palm of his hand. Free's smile faded.

"Badges mean nothing other than you got there faster," Free replied. "I'm still the better trainer."

"We'll see about that. How about a battle? How about a one on one; Monferno and that weak, leafy thing?" Spade said, pointing to Chikorita. He knew what it was, he just figured that he'd annoy Free a bit.

"Chikorita is not weak! Although she does have a leaf…" Free shouted. "Chikorita! Vine Whip!"

"Monferno, Ember!" Spade commanded.

Monferno released his fire, scorching Chikorita's vines. She instantly pulled them back as they burned.

"Now, Mach Punch!"

Monferno's fist was fast; too fast for Chikorita to avoid. It hit her dead on, knocking her down in the sand, but in close range.

"Chikorita, Vine Whip!" Free shouted once more.

Chikorita grabbed Monferno and squeezed tightly. He screamed, and Chikorita wrapped a vine around his mouth, muffling him.

"Get out of there!" Spade barked. Monferno struggled harder.

"Mega Drain!" Free grinned, having the upper edge of the battle.

"Who is that?" Spade asked out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Free said.

"Over there!" Spade pointed towards the lighthouse which was farther down the beach.

"I'm not falling for that," Free shook his head.

"It's Lauren!" Heather shouted.

"It looks like she's in a Team Rocket outfit!" the boy with the green hair added.

"Chikorita, stop!" Free ordered. Chikorita ran to his side.

"She can't be up to anything good if she's in Team Rocket," Spade grumbled. The four trainers looked at him strangely. It would make sense, after all, they know him as the kid who stole a Chimchar.

"We have to stop her from whatever she could be doing!" the blonde girl said. The four trainers began to run down the beach.

"I'm going with you guys," Spade stated, running after them.

The four trainers stared back strangely at him.

"Let us in!" Free pounded on the locked door of the lighthouse. They could hear a Pokémon crying in pain from the top of the lighthouse.

"Don't give us away… Monferno! Melt a hole in this door!" Spade commanded, pointing at the metal door. Monferno looked delighted as he blasted a ball of fire onto the door, starting to create a glowing-metal hole.

"Help him out, Torchic!" the blonde girl added, throwing her Poké Ball.

When the hole was big enough, Spade turned to Heather. "Cool it down."

"Totodile, Water Gun!" Heather said, releasing Totodile from his ball. He blasted water around the hole, steam rising. When the door was cool, Spade made his move.

"Let's go now," Spade dove through the hole along with Monferno. There were some scrambling noises and screams from the other side of the door, and then Spade unlocked the lighthouse door, dangling the keys in front of the other trainers' faces. Free, Heather, Deka, and Clover all made their way in.

They did not see any other Rockets on the first floor besides the ones Spade and Monferno had knocked out, so they hurried up to the second floor.

"Why you little brats!" One of the Team Rocket members screeched. Spade had recognized her as Jada. "Gloom, Razor Leaf!"

"Gloom…" Gloom sighed as she was released from her Poké Ball in front of the trainers. She gathered her strength and shot the leaves at the trainers.

"Chikorita, Vine Whip them away!" Free shouted quickly. Chikorita began to swat and swipe and the approaching leaves, defending the trainers.

"Totodile, Ice Fang!" Heather commanded. Totodile ran underneath the falling leaves and bit onto Gloom's arm, freezing it slowly. The ice spread and soon Gloom was frozen solid.

"Monferno, Flamethrower!" Spade shouted. The flames scorched Jada, and she tried to grab Gloom.

The boy with green hair released an Ivysaur from his Poké Ball. "Grab Gloom and throw it!"

Ivysaur wrapped his vines around the frozen Pokémon and threw it at Jada, hitting her forehead and knocking her out.

"Let's go!" the boy shouted as he and Ivysaur began to make their way up the stairs.

They battled their way through the next few floors before they could reach the top where they found Amphy hooked to a machine that seemed to be taking his electrical power. Working the machine was Lauren.

"Well, well, well…" Lauren sneered at the five trainers. "Free. Heather. And you other three…"

"Release Amphy!" Heather cried out. She tossed a Poké Ball to the ground. A Jolteon appeared. "Pin Missile!"

"Jolt, Jolt!" Jolteon replied, hunching his spike back and shooting prickly missiles at Lauren and the machine, causing it to smoke.

"No! You'll break it!" Lauren screamed. "Ariados, stop them!"

The great spider scurried across the room to where the trainers where and began to spin a web, surrounding them.

"Quilava, burn it up!" Free called out his Pokémon. Quilava looked around angrily before igniting the flames on his back and blasting a gust of fire out, scorching the webs and Ariados.

"You can't beat us!" the blonde girl yelled bravely. "Bagon, Headbutt the machine!"

The girl's dragon Pokémon popped out and bent over, charging at the machine. It could not take the force, and Bagon sent it flying on to the wall, all connection with Amphy ceasing. The electric Pokémon crumpled to the ground.

"Leave this place, Team Rocket!" Spade roared. Lauren scampered down the stairs with her Pokémon.

Before she was out of earshot, she had one thing to say. "It doesn't matter if you broke the machine! We already got all the power we needed for the Radio Tower operation!"

Heather ran to the side of the Ampharos and gave him a Potion. Ampharos smiled up at her, healing slowly, recognition showing in his face.

"That's right, Amphy. We're just here to help again," Heather smoothed the short, static-filled fur on Amphy's head.

Spade watched. He glared at Free and Heather. They must have been hanging around Olivine a lot, or at least enough to know this Ampharos pretty well.

"What do you think she meant by having all the power they needed?" Free wondered aloud.

"We'll find out soon enough," Spade grunted as he turned to walk alone down the stairs.

"Hey, Spade, wait up!" Free yelled as the trainers stepped back onto the beach.

"What do you want?" Spade groaned, turning to face him.

"We never got to finish our battle. And you can't have your trainer card back until you beat me!" Free shouted, waving Spade's trainer card in front of him.

Spade did not like the thought of that. Free still had his trainer card. It was not an official trainer's card, but it was one that Spade has made himself years ago. If Free would not give it back so easily, then Spade would have to try something different. His next actions would probably mark him down as the 'bad guy' for awhile.

"Oh, really?" Spade smirked. He took a step towards Free and pushed him down, the trainer card slipping from his fingers. Spade grabbed it and ran as fast as he could. It had been a long time since he could actually run.

He ran past the beach, through the small forest, and finally, to the Pokémon Center. Once he was inside the Pokémon Center, he took a seat at one of the tables and ordered food.

He reflected on the day's events, glad that he was actually able to get some training in with Monferno. But something had bothered him. What was Team Rocket planning?

Abby ran through the sliding doors, her Eevee and Bulbasaur happily following her. She quickly found Spade and took a seat on the opposite side of the table.

"Hey, Spade!" she said with a certain jubilee in her voice. She then went on to ramble about her day. All of the inspiration that she had gained from seeing water Pokémon. She even watched a few Pokémon battles and got to watch Jasmine train a little bit.

Spade laughed. He had been in a better mood since his experience with Free was over. "It sounds like you had a crazy day…"

"Yeah! How about you?" Abby asked. "Do anything crazy today?"

Spade thought about it. Abby had such a great day. He should not ruin her mood by mentioning Team Rocket. Maybe some other time.

"Monferno and I broke a tree."

* * *

><p><strong>AN So, this wasn't the chapter I was thinking of. The chapter I said was going to be a special chapter, was the next. But this is a special chapter too. Spade got to see Free and Heather! That is special!**

**Next chapter special chapter special next!**


	41. The Ling Day

Spade and Abby had gotten one last, good night of sleep at the Olivine City Pokémon Center. They left early morning, way before the sun had risen.

And after a few hours, they passed the barn. It had brought back memories of Spade taking on Andrew. He had beaten Andrew pretty easily, making Abby wonder if she was any strong. Whenever Abby had battled with Andrew, she had barely won. How far behind Spade was she, Abby wondered.

"Spade," Abby mumbled. She was probably going to regret asking what she was thinking, but she just had to.

Spade yawned and looked at her. "Yeah?"

Abby took in a big breath. "Would you maybe like to have a battle?"

Spade stopped in his tracks. He ran his fingers through his long, red hair and frowned. "You've never been interested in battling me before. What brings this on?"

"As a coordinator, I've been doing alright. I've won four ribbons, which means I'm lacking one. But as a trainer, I haven't battle a whole lot. There are Pokémon on my roster that love to battle, and I haven't given them enough battles," she explained. "I need to battle more for them."

Spade nodded. "Then what kind of battle would you be interested in? I need to get in training for a few of my Pokémon. It will benefit the both of us."

"Really?" Abby said happily. "I say a three-on-three battle could work. How does that sound?"

Spade grinned, and that was all that Abby needed for his answer. The two glanced around, looking for a nice field to battle on. Once they found one, they took their spots where they would presume trainer's boxes to be.

On the sideline of the field, Monferno, Electabuzz, and Golbat stood, anticipating the oncoming battle. It was not often that they were actually able to watch their trainer work. On the other side of the field sat Abby's Venonat—Bing, Ponyta—Pinki Pie, and Eevee—Nika. She only had six Pokémon, so Spade could easily predict her team. Spade was constantly changing out his Pokémon, making Abby unsure about his team. She could only rule out the Pokémon that were already out of their Poké Balls.

"I'll start this with Rin!" Abby announced, throwing her Poké Ball straight into the air. Rin, her Absol, appeared. He pawed at the ground, preparing himself for battle.

"I can't match you for speed. But I can out power you," Spade said. He released his Pokémon from his ball, revealing Shellder.

"We'll start his one," Abby said with a smile. "Quick Attack!"

Absol bounded forward, a white streak following him.

"Withdraw!"

Before Absol could connect, Shellder clamped down his shell. Absol smashed his horn into Shellder, only pushing the shell Pokémon back against the ground.

"Ice Shard," Spade ordered calmly.

In the blink of an eye, Shellder unleashed his attack. Pointed ice crystals jabbed into Absol, throwing him back.

"Continue with Razor Shell!"

Shellder started to glow and turned at a 90 degree angle. He shot forward, his body turning into a rolling saw blade.

"Razor Wind!" Abby commanded.

Rin jumped back, his horn glowing. He swung his head around, and the crescent energy flew at Shellder. It smashed into Shellder, tossing him back in a heap. With no struggle, Shellder fainted.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball and returned his Pokémon. "I was thinking that Shellder could handle it. But I guess I have to try something else." From Spade's next Poké Ball emerged Flareon.

"Rin, use Quick Attack!" Abby called, wasting no time.

Absol flew forward, a white streak of light following him.

"Fire Spin!" Spade called.

Flames bellowed from Flareon's mouth. The flames circled and entrapped Rin inside.

"Double Team!"

Rin started to multiply, escaping from the blaze and circling around Flareon. Flareon darted his head around, trying to figure out which one was the real one.

"Focus, then use Sand-Attack!" Spade ordered.

Flareon nodded and concentrated. As soon as he found which Absol he had predicted to be the correct one, he shoved his paws into the ground, tossing sand at Rin. As soon as the sand connected, Absol stopped his attack. Absol pawed at his face, trying to remove all of the sand.

Spade grinned, knowing he could win this now. "Finish this with Flamethrower!"

Flareon released his attack, completely engulfing Absol and throwing him back. Absol landed in a heap and didn't get back up.

"Phan?" A figured mumbled from the bushes.

Abby sighed and returned Absol, knowing that he was finished. She gripped her next Poké Ball tightly. "C'mon out, Shin!"

Her golden Vulpix appeared, yawning and preparing to battle.

"Flareon, use Fire Spin!" Spade ordered.

"Counter with Flamethrower!"

Flareon unleashed his spiraling flames, hoping to get a quick strike on Shin. Flames blew from Shin's mouth, entering the spiraling flames and completely destroying them.

"Quick Attack!" Spade called.

Flareon bounded through the dying flames and smashed his body into Shin. Shin skid back, and prepared for his next attack.

Abby smiled. "Confuse Ray!"

Vulpix's eyes flashed white, and Flareon stopped in his tracks. He swayed from side to side, absent minded as to what was going on.

"Now, Faint Attack!"

Vulpix dashed forward then disappeared. He reappeared behind Flareon and smashed his body into the unaware fire-type.

"Double Team!" Spade yelled.

Flareon tried to use his attack, but fell forward on his face.

"Flame Burst!" Abby called.

"Endure!"

Vulpix started to glow with energy, and flames blew from his body. Before the flames could connect with Flareon, a red veil appeared over him. The flames bounced off of him, and he shook his head.

Spade grinned. The confusion had left Flareon. "Great! Let's finish this with Fire Spin!"

"I agree! Flamethrower!"

Both attacks clashed, throwing both Pokémon back in a heap. When the smoke cleared, the trainers took note of both Pokémon being unconscious.

"I guess this round is a tie," Spade noted while returning Flareon into this ball. He grabbed his last Poké Ball and took note of the field. It was scorched by the flame attacks, burnt crisps of grass strung out everywhere. With a flick of his wrist, Spinarak materialized onto the field.

"Venonat!" Bing cheered happily upon seeing Spinarak on the field.

"Sam!" Abby called, throwing her ball onto the field. Her starter Pokémon, Bulbasaur, appeared. He pawed at the ground, ready to strike Spinarak as soon as possible.

_Even though I'm at the type advantage, Abby knows that Spinarak is one of my weaker Pokémon. She is going to be playing pure strategy here,_ Spade thought.

"Sam, use Vine Whip!"

Two vines shot from the bulb on Sam's back. They smacked into Spinarak's small body, throwing him back slightly.

"Fury Swipes!" Spade ordered.

Sam's Vine Whip continued, but Spinarak was able to dodge. He slashed at them, making the vines retract quickly.

"Now, Night Shade!"

A black energy blew up from Spinarak's eyes. It connected with Sam, tossing him back. Sam landed on his legs and prepared for his next attack.

"Petal Dance!"

Sam focused his energy, and a typhoon of pink flowers appeared around him. He released the attack, sending it straight for Spinarak.

"Use your best String Shot!" Spade yelled desperately.

Spinarak released a massive amount of web from his mouth, instantly creating a nest. The web entrapped all of the petals, completely destroying all of them.

After scanning Spinarak with his Golden Pokédex, Spade grinned. "Spinarak just learned Spider Web!"

"Sam, let's use –" Abby began. But she was interrupted by a figure, dashing across the field and knocking over Bulbasaur.

"Sam!" Abby screeched.

"What is that?" Spade asked, looking over the new Pokémon. It was small, blue, and round. It had a trunk, that it lifted into the air.

"Phanpy, the Long Nose Pokémon. It swings its long snout around playfully, but because it is so strong, that can be dangerous," Spade's Pokédex chimed.

"That sounds like a powerful Pokémon," Spade mumbled.

"Bulba-bulbasaur!" Sam snapped, glaring at the Pokémon.

Phanpy smiled and stamped her feet. "Phan-phanpy!

"Bulba…"

Before Spade could say anything, Abby piped up. "Spade, I'm going to capture this Phanpy. We will finish our battle later!"

"Aw, man!" Spade whined. After listening to his Pokédex, his interest in the Pokémon had peaked.

"Sam, you ready for another fight?" Abby asked. Sam nodded his head. He had only taken minimal amount of damage from Spinarak, but Phanpy's tackle had insanely hurt him.

"Phanpy!" the new Pokémon cheered.

"Sam, use Razor Leaf!"

Shreds of leaves exploded from Bulbasaur's bulb. They each smashed into Phanpy, throwing the blue Pokémon back. She immediately rolled into a ball, only her ears sticking out. She flung his body forward, checking Bulbasaur into the air. Sam landed hard on the ground, and before he could get back onto all fours, Phanpy rolled into him one more. Sam fell back in a heap, struggling to move.

"Sam!" Abby screamed.

Before she could run out to him, Sam cried out. He started to glow white, the light blinding the trainers temporarily. He moved his body to an upright position and started to shift and form into his next evolution. In due time, an Ivysaur stood where Bulbasaur had once been.

"Ivy!" Sam cried out.

"Awesome! Sam evolved!" Abby cheered.

Phanpy stamped her feet on the ground and charged forward. Sam readied, glaring at the oncoming Pokémon.

"That's Tackle! Dodge, and use Vine Whip!" Abby ordered.

In the knick of time, Ivysaur jumped out of the way. He whipped his body around and sent out one vine from his flower. The vine wrapped around Phanpy's neck, yanking her back and into the ground.

"Now, finish this with Double-Edge!"

"Ivysaur!" Sam cried out while charging forward. He smashed his body into Phanpy, tossing her back like a throw pillow.

"Go, Poké Ball!" Abby called, tossing her Poké Ball like a baseball. The Poké Ball connected with Phanpy, absorbing the Pokémon with its red light. The ball fell to the ground and shook slightly, signaling that Phanpy was putting up a fight. In a matter of seconds, the ball let out a soft ding and stopped shaking.

"Good job. What are you going to call her?" Spade asked, picking up the ball and handing it over to Abby.

Abby grabbed the ball and knelt down. She wrapped one arm around her newly evolved Ivysaur. "I think I'll go with a happy name: Mirth!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN I'd say it was a successful day for Abby!**

**Q1) What do you think of Mirth? Will he be a good addition to Abby's team?**

**Q2) What about Sam evolving? As an Ivysaur, will he still have that same spunk as BulbasaurSam.**

**I got a new computer! Now I have a laptop and a desktop, so I'll be writing a frickton more. I'm just so excited!**


	42. The Ling Day Part 2

In only the matter of one day had the duo made it to Ecruteak. They wasted no time moving through the south side of the city, hoping to get to Cherrygrove as fast as they could. They passed by the gym, the Pokémon Center, and eventually Verde's grandmother's hotel.

"Wait!" a voice called. The two turned to see Verde's head poking out of the front window. He had a huge smile on his face, which scared Spade.

"Verde!" Abby screamed, waving her arm.

Verde ran from his hotel and gave Abby a hug. He looked at Spade and decided not to give him one, seeing how confused Spade already looked.

"So, what are you guys doing back here?" he asked.

"Spade is going to be challenging Fai from Cherrgrove. It'll be his eighth gym badge!" Abby explained.

Verde rubbed his chin. "Ah… Fai is a strong battler. Good luck."

"It's going to take us forever to get there, though," Spade mumbled.

"Not if you take a shortcut!" Verde chimed. "I can show you a shortcut to Violet city."

Spade and Abby smiled. "That'd be great!"

"But on one condition," Verde started. "I want a battle against Spade. I want to see how far you've come. I think a one-on-one battle would suffice."

Spade nodded and grinned. "Sounds good to me! I need a good battle to get me pumped up!"

The group found a small clearing near the entrance of Ecruteak. The two stared daggers at one another, a strict respect showed between them.

"I'll be using Charger," Verde announced, tossing his Poké Ball onto the field. Charger appeared, huffing while gliding to the ground. He blew out smoke from his nostrils.

"Let's go, Monferno!" Spade ordered, throwing his Poké Ball into the air. Monferno appeared and hopped around, trying to get pumped for the match.

"You may have the first attack," Verde said.

Spade nodded and didn't argue. Without hesitation, he made his move. "Mach Punch!"

Monferno darted across the field and jabbed, smashing his fist as hard as he could into Charger's jaw. The giant Charizard wavered a little bit, but wasn't even close to done.

"Dragon Tail!" Verde called.

Charizard spun around, hoping to smash his tail into Monferno, but Monferno was too quick. Without needing Spade's orders, Monferno dug into the ground, disappearing from everyone's sight.

"Let's try our new move! Monferno, ThunderPunch!"

Monferno blew up from the ground and lunged his electrified fist into Charger. Charger flew into the air, but caught himself and readied his next attack.

"Flamethrower!" Verde ordered.

"Get around it with Flame Wheel!"

Flames bellowed from the dragon's mouth, but Monferno was fast. He became engulfed in flames and wheeled himself around the attack, eventually shooting into the air, colliding with Charizard.

"He might actually be able to beat Verde," Abby told Nika quietly. The small Eevee simply smiled.

Verde grinned. "Time to end this! Charger, use Dragon Rage!"

Before Monferno could escape, Charizard grabbed ahold of his arm. He gaped open his mouth, and a blue flame appeared. With a nod of his head, he released the flame onto Monferno, crushing him against the ground. When the smoke cleared, Monferno was stuck into the ground, unconscious.

Spade walked forward and returned Monferno back into his ball. He glanced up at Verde and bit his lip. "I didn't see that one coming. I thought I had you."

"If I can teach you anything right now, it'd be that you should always expect the unexpected," Verde said with a smiled. "Now, let's get you two to Violet!"

Verde showed the duo through the route that Spade had been trampled at. Spade held his arm close to his body, a pain surging through him and small flashbacks of the Stantler coming back. The route was shorter than they thought, and the shortcut wasn't complicated at all.

"You just go through here, and you'll be in Violet in just thirty minutes," Verde explained, pointing down a forested path.

Spade nodded. "Are you going to the Silver Conference to watch me?"

"I will try my hardest to be there. I have a lot of studying and training to do!"

"What for?" Abby asked.

Verde shook his head. "It'll be a surprise!"

"We'll be seeing you," Spade said, turning to walk down the path.

Abby and Verde said their goodbyes, and she followed Spade. Verde stood, watching them until he was out of sight.

"I can't believe that we'll be in Violet so soon!"

"Yeah, which means that we're closer to my next gym badge!" Spade said with a grin.

"Have I ever told you about my contest in Violet?" Abby asked.

"Yes," Spade answered. She had never told him, but he didn't really care and didn't want to listen to her talk about it.

"I don't think I have!" Abby said with a smile. "It was my very first contest. I had no idea how I would do."

I had entered into Violet City and heard of the contest really quickly. I had three days to prepare, and since it was going to be my first, I trained like crazy. I researched different battling strategies, learned my Pokémon's weaknesses inside and out, and watched old videos of coordinators and their Pokémon to get ideas. It was the hardest I've ever worked for a contest.

Then the day came.

I registered and left for the locker room as quickly as I could. I watched on the television while all of the other trainers performed, then it occurred to me. None of my Pokémon had ever been on stage. And not just that; I didn't know who I'd use.

As time went by, and trainers went to perform, I frantically went over my options. I only had Sam, Pinki, and Shin at the time. I promised Sam that I'd include him in my first battle, so all that was left was my decision for the appeals round.

Before I could make a final decision, my name was called. I was led down a hallway where I could hear cheers from the other side. They opened my curtain and introduced me.

I walked onto the stage, my body shaking more nervously than ever before. The judges and crowd eyed me down. In a moment of surprise, I just grabbed a Poké Ball from my belt. I tossed it into the air, and was surprised to see none other than Pinki Pie.

At first, I was scared to see Pinki on stage. I had realized that going with Shin, a shiny Pokémon, would have been a way better way to introduce myself. I also had always taken Pinki as more of the nervous Pokémon. Shin was way more relaxed.

I panicked. But what could I do now? I had already made my decision, and if I wanted to move on, I'd have to keep pushing forward.

Without any more delay, I ordered Pinki to start her appeal. She started with a Flame Charge. I didn't have her attack, but only show her power. Her flames erupted from her back, making her seem a lot less cute. But that is what I wanted. I didn't want people to see a normal, cute Ponyta. I wanted a powerful Ponyta to be displayed.

Then I ordered for a Stomp attack. It was going to be a simple, but powerful, ending. Pinki threw herself into the air and smashed her legs into the ground, destroying all of the larger flames around her. The ashes sparkled down onto the stage, glittering red off of the lights. It was so beautiful.

We bowed at the crowd and judges then left for the locker room. A lot of the coordinators congratulated me and praised my work.

I had gone from being nervous, to being so confident in my abilities. It was definitely a game changer. I knew that if I moved onto the next round, I could easily win it all.

Then the results came up. All of my confidence that I had just gained left me. I felt so horrible; like I could throw up at any moment.

Four cards appeared on the screen, and I watched as the flipped over slowly. It probably wasn't as slow as I thought, but it felt like a whole minute before they revealed who would be going on. Luckily, my face appeared at the bottom corner. I had actually made it.

We were given a five minute intermission, like usual, so I had time to give a pep talk to Sam. It seemed a lot shorter than I thought it was, and I thought that maybe I couldn't pump up Sam enough. The buzzer went off, and to my surprise, I was up first!

I remember that my opponent was a really smelly boy. He looked like he hadn't showered in weeks. How he got to the second round was way beyond me. And he had a Pokémon to match; a Grimer.

The battle was hard, and the coordinator clearly never thought out any battling combos. Nothing that he was doing was very appealing, but he was able to hurt Sam. He was put into a poisoned state, and there was no way that I could out power my opponent. If I was going to win, I'd have to be appealing.

So, we started with a Pedal Dance. The flowers shrouded Sam, confusing Grimer and his trainer. Then when the pedals disappeared, Sam was gone too. From the air, Sam dropped. He released his vines and started to smack Grimer as hard as he could, each time, pedals flying. The crowd was amazed, and their points started to falter. In only a matter of minutes, we were able to deplete their points completely.

The buzzer went off, and I fell to my knees. I didn't believe it. I won my first official battle. But it wasn't over yet. I had a real challenge ahead of me, and I was ready.

Back in the locker room, I was able to heal up Sam. I didn't want the poison status to linger, and luckily, I was prepared with Antidote.

The next battle took place, and I was able to watch over the two coordinators. I studied everything: their Pokémon, their techniques, and their delivery. I had gotten too far to lose. And since this was my first contest, I wasn't going to.

My foe was going to be a challenge. He had a Persian that knew a multitude of attacks. I would have to battle smart if I wanted to win. And I wanted to win.

They called us to the stage, and the rumble from the crowd was even worse this time. I remember walking down the hallway and feeling it all. I felt like I could've thrown up at any time. But I had to remain calm.

We both walked onto the stage, and I was finally able to take in my opponent. She stood proud, much like her Persian. Her body was sleek, and she looked as though she had been doing this for awhile. Her stance was much more relaxed than mine. Once again, I felt sick.

Then Sam turned it all around for me. Without me even having to command him too, he walked onto the stage and cried out. He was proud of his victory from before, and I needed to feed off of that energy.

They announced the rules of the match one more time and showed off the ribbon that we'd win. And with that, the match started.

Before I could even think about what we needed to do, she ordered her attack. It was one of the many diverse attacks that her Persian knew. And within a matter of seconds, electricity was bound towards my poor little Bulbasaur. They zapped into him, paralyzing him on the spot. That was two status conditions that he had to fight through in one day.

I remember Sam crying out in pain, and all of my hype leaving me in an instance. I had to be able to fight through this, but maybe the paralysis was too much. But he was able to fight through for me.

In an instant, Sam let loose a few leaves into the air. But instead of hitting Persian, they went above her. My opponent laughed it off and ordered for a Take Down. Persian darted across the field, but came to a sudden spot. Everyone, including myself, were confused.

Then I figured it out. Persian looked like she was struggling, and from her fur, soft purple sparkles could be seen. Within the Razor Leaf attack, Sam had snuck in a PoisonPowder!

That was my chance. I gave Sam my commands, and he let loose another Razor Leaf. The leaves pelted into Persian, tossing her back.

That wasn't enough to win, though. Persian was ordered to do a Dark Pulse, and she complied. The lights flickered on and off in the arena, and Persian unleashed a black energy at Sam. My Pokémon was knocked back to my feet, and for a moment, I thought he was done for.

Sam crawled back to his feet and cried into the air. He was ready to keep fighting, so I gave him his next order. Take Down it was. Bulbasaur bounded down the field, ready to do damage.

In an instance, Persian was ordered to do a Bubblebeam. The strong attack was almost enough to push Sam back, but not quite enough! Sam broke through the attack completely and checked Persian into the wall behind her trainer.

It was time for me to finish it. I ordered a Vine Whip, and Sam lifted Persian into the air. He tossed her, and she crashed hard onto the ground. When the debris cleared, Persian was revealed, laying still.

The buzzer sounded, and the match was called. The announcer started to scream, making the ground shake and the crowd go nuts. It took me a few moments, but I had finally realized it. I had won. I had really won my first ribbon.

They let confetti fall from the ceiling, and handed me my ribbon. My opponent congratulated me, and I was able to meet the judges.

But none of that mattered to me at the moment. I had actually won my ribbon. It was my start to being a great coordinator.

"I guess that's a cool story," Spade said unenthusiastically.

"Were you even listening?" Abby had taken note of Spade flipping through his evolution book.

Spade smiled. "Nope!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN Kind of a different chapter. But I decided to do something different. And I liked writing in first person! It was fun!**


	43. The Fiery Battle

"It has been so long!" Spade huffed, staring into Cherrygrove.

The sun was rising into the sky, shining onto the different buildings. But the Spade's attention was on one building. It sat in the middle of Cherrygrove, and was shaped like a dome. The sun shone through the dome windows, lighting up the inside. This building, the Cherrygrove Gym, was the setting of Spade's next battle: the battle that he has been waiting months for.

"My eighth badge is waiting for me!"

The two walked their way into the city, and in little time, found the cement steps to the gym. Spade was surprised to see the front of the gym, it not looking like the rest at all. In fact, it looked like a home. A white porch with a seat swing sat in the front. Sitting in the swing was an bald, old man wearing a tropical shirt over his plump gut.

"I take it that you're here for a gym battle, son?" the man said, a smile forming on his face.

"That's Free older brother?" Abby asked. Spade glared at her and shook his head.

"Yeah. I wish to challenge Fai," Spade said with a stern look.

The old man nodded and pushed himself out of the chair. He grabbed ahold of a red walking stick, a wooden sculpture of a fire bird as his grip. After walking through the part of the gym that appeared as a house, the three entered a stadium. The man pushed a button on the wall, turning on the lights of the stadium.

Spade gaped at the sight, not expecting the field to be as big as it was. The battlefield was a simple field, a brown field with white lines and Poké Ball designs where the trainer's boxes were.

From the opposite side of the field, Fai sat at a bench. He glared up at the three, squinting his eyes.

"Sitting in the dark, Fai?" the old man inquired.

Fai nodded. "Yes, Grandpa. It helps me focus and think." He stood up and smiled at the sight of Spade.

"You're the boy with the eyes of fire."

"Wait, you've already met Fai?" Abby asked.

"Once," Spade answered.

"So, I take it that you ran into Clock?" Spade nodded, and Fai smiled. "He told me about your battle with him, and that he was sending you my way."

"Then let's do this…" Spade growled.

Fai stepped to his trainer's box, his smile never fading. Spade took him in for the first time since the last time they had seen each other. Last time, he was too angry to actually think, but this time, he needed to evaluate his opponent as much as he could. His hair was a lighter brown than Free's, and it was pulled into a ponytail. Unlike his younger brother's hair, it was neater but still retained the spiky style. A leather, black vest rested on his bare, muscular top. Loose, brown pants hung from a red belt that wrapped around his waist.

"What are the match stipulations?"

"Four on four. No one gets to substitute," Fai said with a stern expression.

Spade gritted his teeth together. _This guy isn't playing around. He wants to see how far I've come, and not letting me work on ay substitution strategy is the way to test me._

"I'll go first," Fai announced, throwing a Poké Ball into the air. It blew up, an orange, bipedal Pokémon appearing.

"Combusken!" it cried out.

"Combusken, the Young Fowl Pokémon, and the evolved form of Torchic. It boosts its concentration by emitting harsh cries. Its kicks have outstanding destructive power," the golden Pokédex chimed.

"I have to battle smart, so I'll go with Gengar!"

Gengar appeared from her Poké Ball and danced around playfully. She locked eyes with the angered Combusken and prepared for battle.

"Begin!" Fai's grandpa yelled.

"Combusken, Focus Energy!"

Combusken took in energy, his body glowing a light red color.

"While they charge, it's our chance to attack!" Spade yelled. "Use Shadow Punch!"

Gengar nodded and lunged forward, her purple fist turning to black. She jabbed into Combusken, causing him to fall back a few feet.

"Now, Thunderbolt!"

"Double Kick!"

Spade's Pokémon released volts from her ghost-like coat, but Combusken was fast. Using his legs, he easily disposed of the electricity.

"Now, Mirror Move!"

Combusken threw his arms into the air, electricity exploding from his body. The bolts connected with Gengar, tossing her back.

"Finish this with Fire Punch!" Fai commanded.

With a swift movement, Combusken flew forward. He jabbed his fist into Gengar, throwing her behind Spade.

"Gengar!" Spade yelled. "Are you okay?"

"Gen…gar…" she cooed, trying to get back up. Using the rest of her energy, Gengar was able to stand once more.

"Awesome! Gengar, let's keep this going with Shadow Ball!"

"Get rid of them with Fire Punch!" Fai countered.

Gengar flew into the air, lunging multiple of the shadow filled balls at Combusken. But the fire-type was fast. With simple, fluid movements, Combusken was able to destroy the lot of them. When Fai had thought that he had won it, one more ball snuck its way around, smashing into Combusken's face. Combusken cried and fell to the ground.

"Combusken, get back up, and use Fire Spin!" Fai ordered, ignoring the last attack.

Without missing a beat, Combusken flipped onto his feet, and flames circled out of his mouth.

"Fight back with Thunderbolt!"

Gengar released her attack, forcing it to collide with the flames. Upon touching, the attacks exploded, sending smoke across the field.

"Gengar, take advantage of this! Let's get in close, and use Poison Jab!" Spade called, confident in his Pokémon's ability.

Gengar darted through the smoke, quickly finding Combusken. He jabbed multiple times into the fire-type's chest, knocking him back. Combusken landed hard on the ground, flinching from all of the damage.

When the smoke cleared, Fai's grandfather was able to make the call. "Combusken is unable to continue!"

"You really got me there. Combusken wouldn't have been able to work in the smoke, while Gengar, and her ghost-like abilities, made it easy for her to move." Fai complimented. "I may have underestimated you, but that's all over. Let's go, Charizard!"

A dragon, much like Verde's but smaller and meaner in appearance, took the field.

"Flamethrower," Fai said calmly.

Charizard nodded and blasted blames from his mouth.

"Thunderbolt!" Spade screeched.

Gengar released her attacks, hoping to defend against Charizard's attack, but it was useless. Charizard's flame easily destroyed her attack, blowing through the electricity and overcoming Gengar. When the flames died down, Gengar was left on the ground unconscious.

"Gengar is unable to continue!"

Spade's mouth gaped open. "I-I can't believe it… Such power…" He returned Gengar into her Poké Ball and held it tight. "We'll just have to battle harder!"

"So, who is your next choice? Or does my Charizard's _power_ frighten you?" Fai asked, putting emphasis on the word power.

It definitely wasn't what Spade was expecting. He expected a challenge, but knocking down Gengar with a single attack. Not only making her faint, but probably damaging her past that. Could he beat someone like this? For once, Spade was out powered. He'd have to take Verde's advice. Spade had to battle smart.

"C'mon out, Electabuzz!"

Electabuzz emerged from his Poké Ball and roared into the air, smacking his fists against his chest to intimidate his foe.

"Trying to use type advantage?" Fai wondered aloud. "Alright then. Charizard, Earthquake!"

"Jump!" Spade ordered.

Before Electabuzz could make his move, Charizard smashed his feet into the ground. He fell back, stunned from the attack.

"Now, Dragon Claw!"

Charizard flung himself forward, his claw turning to purple. He slashed out at Electabuzz, but Spade was ready.

"Grab onto him, and use Thunderbolt!" he called.

Electabuzz cringed as he grabbed Charizard's arm. He let loose his sparks, tossing Charizard into the air.

"Now, ThunderPunch!"

"Electa!" Spade's Pokémon cried, jumping into the air, his fist crackling with electricity. Before Fai could respond, Electabuzz smashed his fist into Charizard's jaw.

"Finish this with Thunderbolt!"

"Get back up, and use Flamethrower!" Fai yelled.

Charizard flew into the air, and flames bellowed from his mouth, easily destroying Electabuzz's attack and continuing on towards him.

"Protect!" Spade screamed, praying that Electabuzz was fast enough.

"Electa!" the Pokémon shrieked, a green barrier forming around him. The fire bounced off, destroying both the barrier and the attack.

"Now, ThunderPunch!"

"Dragon Claw!"

Both Pokémon lunged forward, Charizard's claws glowing purple, and Electabuzz's fists sparking with electricity. They swung their attacks at each other, exploding on contact. Both Pokémon were flung back, Charizard into the air, and Electabuzz down to the ground.

"Thunder!" Spade shrieked.

Electabuzz cried out while he released a strong electric current from his body. The current surged through Charizard's body, and he fell to the ground.

"Charizard!" Fai yelled.

Charizard roared into the air and stomped his feet out of anger. His eyes turned to white, and the flame on his tail blew up.

"Haha! And he uses Rage!" Fai laughed.

"Be careful, Spade!" Abby warned.

"Blast Burn!"

Charizard took in a deep breath, and a massive stream of fire blew out of his mouth, burning up the field as he moved.

"Use your strongest Thunder!"

Electabuzz discharged the rest of the energy that he had from his body, sending towards Charizard's attack. They clashed, causing another explosion. Both Pokémon were flung back by the energy, pummeling into the walls behind their trainers.

When they fell to the ground, Fai's grandpa made his call. "Both Pokémon are unable to continue!"

"I can't believe it. You were able to take down my Charizard," Fai grunted. "That's not an easy feat, but that doesn't mean you'll win."

"We'll see," Spade replied. He turned and let Electabuzz return to his ball.

"C'mon out, Infernape!" Fai yelled, tossing his Poké Ball onto the field. His Pokémon appeared, glaring down Spade

"Infernape, the Flame Pokemon and evolution of Monferno. It tosses its enemies around with agility. It uses all its limbs to fight in its own unique style," the Pokédex chimed.

"An evolution of Monferno?" Spade laughed. "I have the perfect match for this. C'mon out, Spinarak!"

"A Spinarak?" Fai asked before laughing at Spade's strategy. "How do you expect to win?"

Spade simply smiled, triggering something in Fai.

"Fine then! Mach Punch!"

"Infernape!" he cried, lunging his body out at lightning speed.

"String Shot!" Spade ordered calmly.

The white, sticky web blew out of Spinarak's mouth. The web wrapped around Infernape's arm, stopping him.

"What?!" Fai screamed.

"Now, throw him!" Spade ordered.

Spinarak twisted his head and tossed Infernape into the air. Infernape landed on his back, but was able to get back up immediately.

"Keep this going! Use Flame Wheel!"

Infernape turned into a ball of fire and shot down the field.

"Poison Jab!"

Mere seconds before Infernape could reach him, Spinarak jabbed out with one of his small arms. Infernape easily broke through Spinarak's weak attack, running over the tiny Pokémon. Infernape stopped spinning and glared back at Spinarak.

"I think one more attack should do it," Fai said with a smile. Suddenly, his smile faded as Infernape fell to one knee.

"Infernape!" he screamed in pain, his body glowing a slight purple.

"It worked! Now, Spinarak, use Pin Missile!" Spade ordered.

Spinarak twisted his body as fast as he could, releasing the small needles from his mouth.

"Mach Punch them!"

Without missing a beat, Infernape jabbed at each of the needles, destroying each and every one with ease.

"Finish this with Fire Punch!"

Infernape nodded before lunging forward. He jabbed his fiery fist into Spinarak, tossing the Pokémon back in a heap.

"Spinarak is unable to battle!"

Spade huffed and returned Spinarak. "You did well, buddy."

"I hope your last Pokémon puts up a better fight than that. Or do you plan on using a Pokémon with a clear disadvantage?" Fai asked, taunting Spade.

"Not exactly! Monferno, let's do this!"

Monferno blew out of his ball and struck a fighting stance. He glared out at Infernape and smiled. Not only was his fire-type pride on the line, so was his evolutionary pride.

"Infernape, start with Flame Wheel!"

Infernape tucked and rolled forward, his body covered in flames.

"Dig!" Spade called.

Just as easily as Spade had ordered it, Monferno lunged into the ground. Infernape stopped before the hole, confused as to where Monferno's whereabouts were.

"ThunderPunch!" Spade commanded.

The floor cracked, and Monferno emerged. He jabbed his electrified fist into Infernape's lower jaw. Fai's Pokémon flew back, slamming into the ground.

"Infernape! No!"

From the rubble, Infernape moved. Using what strength he had left, the fire-type stood back up. His eyes glowing white and his flaming main flaring, Infernape roared into the air.

"Blaze…" Spade mumbled.

"Perfect! Now, multiple Fire Punch!" Fai ordered, knowing that Blaze was his chance to win.

"Dodge!"

Infernape flung his body forward as fast as he could, swiping strikes at Monferno too quick for the human eye to see. Spade's Pokémon easily moved around them, predicting all of Infernape's punches perfectly.

"Finish this, Monferno! ThunderPunch!"

After dodging a few more fiery fists, Monferno did an uppercut, tossing Infernape into a heap on the ground.

"Infernape is unable to battle!"

"I can't believe it," Fai groaned. He returned Infernape and grinned. "You won't be able to beat my top Pokémon, though. You ready, Typhlosion?"

A Pokémon with a familiar look to him appeared. It roared into the air, intimidating Monferno.

"Typhlosion, the Volcano Pokemon and the evolution of Quilava. If its rage peaks, it becomes so hot that anything that touches it will instantly go up in flames."

"Typhlosion, Gyro Ball!" Fai ordered before Spade could build a strategy.

Typhlosion started to roll, a white energy surrounding his body. He smacked into Monferno, pushing him behind Spade.

Spade gritted his teeth together. He wasn't expecting an attack like that. "Monferno!"

"Keep up the Gyro Ball!"

"Counter with Flame Wheel!"

The Pokémon collided with one another, Typhlosion easily breaking through Monferno's attack. Spade's Pokémon fell to the ground, leaving Typhlosion towering above him.

"I guess it is time to finish this…" Fai mumbled. "Turns out you're not as strong as I had hoped."

"Monferno, get up!" Abby cried.

"Eruption!"

Typhlosion lifted Monferno into the air and prepared his attack. From his mouth, a yellow orb appeared. Within seconds, it blew. Monferno was flung into the air, landing hard onto the cold ground.

"MONFERNO!" Spade yelled.

Fai's grandfather sighed and lifted a flag. "Monferno is—"

"Monferno!" Spade's Pokémon cried. He mustered up enough strength to get to one knee. With one more cry, he stood back up and started to glow. His body shifted and morphed until he took the form of an Infernape. "Infernape!"

"He evolved!" Abby cheered. Nika jumped off of her shoulder and cried out happily.

Infernape jumped into the air and fell towards Typhlosion. Blue flames blew out of his body, eventually engulfing him completely. He checked into Typhlosion, but barely. Fai's Pokémon was able to move away easily, only coming out with a single scratch.

"That was Flare Blitz. But it looks like your Infernape isn't well trained enough to use it," Fai said, a taunting smile on his face.

"Then we'll do things that we know!" Spade snapped. "Flamethrower!"

"Reply with Flamethrower!"

Both of the fire-types let loose their attacks. They clashed in the middle of the field, exploding after too much energy was exuded.

"Gyro Ball!" Spade heard screamed over the commotion.

Typhlosion exploded from the smoke, his body curled into a ball.

"ThunderPunch!"

Infernape charged up his fist and jabbed as soon as Typhlosion came into contact. Fai's Pokémon, once more, was too much, and Infernape was overpowered. Typhlosion grinned at the downed Pokémon, but he was surprised to see Infernape smiling back.

Typhlosion tried to turn, but static filled his body. He cringed with pain, and Infernape stood back up, ready to fight.

"We need to end this!" Fai yelled. "Flame Charge!"

Typhlosion, even through his status ailment, stamped his legs, building energy. Fire surrounded his body, and he bounded forward.

"Mach Punch!" Spade screamed.

Infernape jabbed, connecting with Typhlosion's face. Both pushed forward, crashing into one another. After seconds of the two forces colliding, there was yet another small explosion. Both Pokémon flew at their trainers, landing on there backs and destroying some tile.

"Are you okay?" Spade asked Infernape.

His Pokémon nodded slowly before getting back to his feet. His eyes started to glow white, and the fire on his head blew more intensely, much like Fai's did.

Typhlosion mustered up enough strength to also stand. His eyes were also white, and the fire on his neck turned to blue.

"This is it. The next move will end this," Fai declared.

Spade nodded. "It's all or nothing! Infernape, Flare Blitz!"

Infernape roared into the air, and his body became shrouded with blue flames. He lunged forward, destroying the floor as he moved.

"We'll block it with Fire Blast!"

Typhlosion cried out and released the most powerful set of flames that he could. The flames beat against Infernape, who screamed out from pain. Spade's Pokémon, using all of the power that he could muster up, continued forward. He broke through the flames, smashing his body into Typhlosion's. Both Pokémon jumped back, but only one was able to stay standing.

"Typhlosion is unable to battle! This means that Infernape and the challenger win!" Fai's grandpa announced.

"I…I can't believe it!" Spade yelled. He ran onto the field and embraced Infernape. "I can't believe that we actually did it! We actually won! Thank you, Infernape!"

"Infer…nape…" Infernape mumbled, a faint smile appearing on his face before he passed out in Spade's arms.

"Your bond with your Pokémon is amazing. While I feel that bonding with your Pokémon shows weakness, it looks like you've found a way around it," Fai said. He crossed his arms. "Don't let that become a weakness."

Spade glared but was able to calm himself. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Here is your badge. It is the FlareBadge," Fai's grandfather said, handing Spade over a gym badge that resembled a flame.

"That means I have eight badges!"

"You only have eight?" Fai asked, trying to taunt Spade. "The strongest trainers go for all gym badges. I went for all the gym badges I could get when I competed."

Spade smirked. "I'll be challenging the other gyms too. Don't worry."

Fai glanced down at Infernape and grinned. "Hehe… The other two won't be that easy."

* * *

><p><strong>AN And he does it! Spade now has eight badges! But his journey isn't over yet! What do you think is next for the duo?**


	44. The Cherrygrove Contest Appeals! Part 1

**A/N: Let's go ahead and give you a quick recap of what has happened the past few chapters. Abby has recently caught a Phanpy after a battle cut short with Spade. She named the Phanpy Mirth. Then, after meeting up with Verde for a short battle, the two took a shortcut to get back to Cherrygrove. There, Spade took on Fai, Free's older brother, and beat him, earning his 8th Gym Badge. And we are here now.**

* * *

><p>After Spade's gym battle, he, Abby, and Fai had dinner together. They discussed their travels, and Spade told Fai about his encounters with the gym leader's younger brother.<p>

"So, no matter what you do, you can't best my brother?" Fai asked, a cocky smile on his face. "Maybe he's stronger than I thought."

"We haven't been able to battle in a long time. I'm sure that I've surpassed him now," Spade replied.

"So, what about you; what was your journey like?" Abby asked.

Fai sighed. "My journey was simple. I only traveled through Johto, because it was all I needed. I took on the eight required gyms, and defeated them in a matter of a few months. Then I took on the Silver Conference and won it. Afterwards, I was offered a position as a gym leader. I took it and became one of the youngest gym leaders in Johto ever."

"You must have been really strong!" Abby exclaimed.

Fai huffed. "I just believe that everyone else was weak. But it was what it was, and now I'm a gym leader."

Spade grinned. "I'll just have to win this conference. I hope to be strong one day."

"So, Abby. You still have one more contest to go, am I right?" Abby shook her head. "You should enter the Cherrygrove Contest. In light of Cherrygrove expanding, we have built a contest stadium. Next week will be its grand opening. I suggest that you try to win your last ribbon there. It'd be special."

"That sounds awesome! And you said one week, right?"

"Yeah. It'll give you both time to train. If you like, I can help train you here. I don't mind taking on students," Fai explained.

"I'm in no rush. I say that we train, then you can win your last ribbon," Spade opined.

"It all works for me!"

The training at Fai's gym was more intense than they thought it would be. He taught them different fire-type attacks, and Infernape was able to work on Flare Blitz.

Even though it was an entire week, it had passed by as though it was one day.

Fai gave the duo directions to the new stadium, and Abby registered for the contest. Spade left for the stands, and she was left alone to talk with her Pokémon.

"Now, guys, this could be our last ribbon if we win. We need to give it all!" Abby exclaimed, pumping up her Pokémon.

"Phanpy!" her newly caught Pokémon cried out happily.

"I'll be using you in the battle round, Mirth!"

The Pokémon cried out happily, and Abby's attention was redirected to the screen.

The announcer came on, doing her usual routine. She introduced the judges, Nurse Joy, Mr. Sukizo, Raoul Contesta, and special guest judge, Fai.

"Now, as you may know, this contest is the first being held in Cherrygrove. We've decided to throw in a little curveball for all of you coordinators. Like normal, there will be an appeals round. But instead of one appeal round, there will be two!" the announcer exclaimed. "Not only that, the first appeal round requires you to only use one move. You can repeat the move, but only one move can be used."

"That's unexpected…" Abby mumbled.

"And what's more, each round, the coordinators can switch out their Pokémon! So, keep that in mind!" she screamed. "Now, let's get the show under way!"

Coordinators came and went, performing to their best using only one attack. Some were able to do it without a problem, while other failed miserably. After a lot of differentiating appeals, Abby was called up.

She walked through the hallway, her heart racing as the crowd got louder. She needed to do her best in this contest. Either that or it was game over.

"Introducing next: you know her; you love her: Abby Ling!" the announcer screamed.

Abby ran onto the field, tossing a Poké Ball into the air. Pinki Pie emerged, stamping her feet on the ground.

_Remember, Abby. Only one move…_ Abby reminded herself.

"Okay, Pinki Pie! Let's use Fire Spin!" she ordered.

Her Ponyta nodded, blowing flames from her mouth. The flames circled, separating and turning into singular circles.

Abby ran forward, getting on top of her Pokémon. She pointed, commanding Ponyta to run through the fire rings. Pinki Pie listened, dashing forward and through the flames. She stopped in the middle of the stage, waiting for Abby's orders.

"Fire Spin into the air!"

Ponyta obeyed, blasting her fire into the air. The fire exploded once it was far enough away, raining down on Abby and her Pokémon.

The crowd clapped as the announcer came back onto the stage, the spotlight shining on her and Abby. "I believe that to be one of the best appeals we've seen today. Judges, what do you think?"

"We clearly see a connection between the two. This is a great example of how Pokémon and Trainer should interact," Mr. Contesta said.

Mr. Sukizo clapped his hands together. "Not only that, but I am thoroughly entertained! Remarkable!"

"To put it very simple, you riding on your Pokémon, not only shows your Pokémon's beauty, but also your own. Very wise choice," Nurse Joy complimented.

The judges then turned to Fai, who had his usual stern expression. He cracked his knuckles and gave another glance over Abby and her Pokémon. "Very daring…" he noted.

After Abby bowed, she left for the back, hoping for good news after the rest of the appeals.

She sat in her corner, staring up at the television, hoping that everything would go by fast. In little time, the announcer came back onto the television.

"Now it is time that we've all been waiting for, coordinators and spectators a like: the next round announcements!"

Fai stood up from his judge panel and sighed. "We just want you to know that this was a hard decision to make. There were a lot of good performances today, and well…a lot of bad ones. But these are the top 8 that will be moving onto the next round."

Abby watched intently as the cards flipped on the screen. The third picture was of Abby, letting her feel relieved.

"We made it…"

"The next round will be a simple appeal round. You may choose to switch your Pokémon if you'd like. But that is only optional," the announcer screamed into the microphone. "But there is one catch to this appeal round! Your Pokémon must show off traits of what it is. Like, a water-type must use moves that show off what that water-type is like. Show the judges who your Pokémon is!"

Abby looked over at her Pokémon. She was going to use Vulpix. What did that mean for her appeal?

A few of the other trainers went, all of them doing great to show off their Pokémon's personalities. And before long, it was Abby's turn to make her last appeal.

"Are you ready, Shin?" she asked her Vulpix. "Let's make this one of your best appeals!"

"Vulpix!" the Pokémon replied.

"Now introducing, you all know her by her very daring last appeal, Abby Ling!" the announcer screamed. Abby came out onto stage and bowed, causing the crowd to go nuts.

"Start with Wil-O-Wisp!" Abby called. Shin nodded while he began to focus his energy. His eyes started to glow, black fire emerging around his body. The fire started to dance in circles, putting some of the crowd and even the judges in a slight trance. "Now, fireworks!" With that, Shin forced the fire to crash into the ground, causing a fiery explosion. Shin jumped out of it, fire trailing behind him in a beautiful fashion.

"That's the way to do it!" Spade cheered. He then lowered his voice and cleared his throat. "I mean. That was cool, I guess."

"Let's finish this!" Abby called, tossing a disc into the air. "Inferno!" Vulpix glanced up, a burst of flames bellowing from his mouth. The flames connected with the disc, exploding it on contact.

Vulpix smiled as he worked his way over to Abby. They both bowed and turned to the judges.

"Much different from your other appeal, clearly showing how diverse you are as a trainer," Nurse Joy opined.

Mr. Sukizo laughed. "And your Pokémon's strength with a simple Wil-O-Wisp was remarkable!"

Raoul Contesta nodded. "You came into this competition strong, and you have stayed strong. I loved what I saw."

Fai grinned. "I liked the appeal, but I don't think it showed off what your Pokémon is: a fire-type."

Abby gritted her teeth together and made her way to the back. She took a seat, waiting for the rest of the round to go by. She had hoped that Fai didn't ruin her chances of moving on. She either had to be the worst of the best, or the best of the worst to move on.

"And now, contestants! We have our next round results!" the announcer said into the microphone. On the screen, four cards appeared. They flipped one-by-one until there was one more card. Abby held on to Shin tight, then the card flipped.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Oh...Snap!**

**Predictions?**


	45. The Cherrygrove Contest Battles! Part 2

Abby breathed in a sigh of relief as she saw her face appear. She couldn't take a loss. But now she had to prove to herself that she deserved to win. She had to give it her all.

"Now we will shuffle the cards to pick out our next round!" the announcer screamed while the cards moved around. Abby was paired up with a trainer that she recognized as Terry. Her match was up first, so she had to give her Pokémon a quick pep talk.

After the pep talk with her Pokémon, she was called for her first battle. She walked down her hallway, her Pokémon at her side.

"Our first match will be Terry vs. Abby!" the announcer said while the two trainers walked onto the field.

"Are you ready to lose?" Terry asked Abby. He had a cocky smile on his face. "Maybe when I win this, I can take you out on a date?"

Abby shook her head. "Sorry. But I have to focus." She turned to her Pokémon. "You ready, Bing?"

"Venonat!" the Pokémon cheered, jumping out onto the field.

"Easy…" Terry grumbled. He tossed out his Poké Ball, a small, grey Pokémon appearing. "Beat the daylights out of it, Minccino!"

"Min!" the Pokémon snapped.

"Use Double Slap!" Terry ordered. Minccino bounded forward, smacking Bing as many times as he could.

Abby watched as her Pokémon was slapped around ruthlessly. "Close-ranged Psybeam!" Bing backed away before releasing a multicolored beam. The beam connected with Minccino, rolling her back.

"Slam!" Terry screamed. Minccino bounded forward, ready to pounce on top of Venonat.

He's attacking head-on. There is no strategy to this. That is my key to victory. Abby thought.

"Dodge, Bing!" Abby ordered. Venonat bounced into the air, easily avoiding the attacking Minccino.

Minccino, angered by Venonat avoiding his attack, released electric bolts from his furry coat. The electricity zapped Bing, making her fall to the ground.

Terry laughed. "You see what I did there? I'll just have to keep it up! Use Last Resort!" Minccino started to store energy, and he bounded forward, getting ready to strike as soon as Bing hit the ground.

"Twist, and use Signal Beam, Bing!" Abby called. Using the fall to gain speed, Venonat started to spin, a green beam flowing from her body. As soon as Minccino came into contact, he was knocked back. When he stood back up, Venonat stared him down.

"Minccino!" Terry screamed, watching his points deplete.

"Let's keep it going, Bing! Use Zen Headbutt!" Abby called. Bing lowered her head. Rocketing forward, she slammed her head into Minccino. The normal-type scrambled around, trying to think of something to do.

"Do something, Minccino!" Terry ordered.

Abby laughed. "It looks like it doesn't matter." She pointed up at the scoreboard, most of Terry's points almost gone.

"Bing, use Signal Beam!" Venonat took in energy, and a beam of green lights blew from her mouth. The beam flew into Minccino, knocking her into Terry's arms.

The buzzer went off, the judges knowing that Minccino was both knocked out, and Terry's points were gone.

"And our winner is Abby!"

Back in the locker room, Abby sat with Bing. "You did awesome, girl!"

"Venonat!"

"I bet that Spinarak was watching too! Or at least listening," she added.

Bing blushed. "Veno…"

"Alright, Mirth, are you ready?" Abby asked. Mirth nodded and ran onto the stage.

Brenna twisted her body around, throwing out her Poké Ball. A Kirlia appeared, twisting in the same way that Brenna did.

"Begin!"

"We'll start with Rollout!" Abby ordered. Phanpy started his attack, plowing through the small field. But Kirlia was ready.

"Dodge!" Brenna called. Kirlia easily twisted her body around, dancing way to elegantly for Abby to think of her next attack. "Magical Leaf!" Kirlia nodded and called out. She released a wave of pink and purple leaves from her body, causing them to pound into Mirth.

"Mirth!" Abby called. She started to rethink her strategy. Maybe putting the new Pokémon into her last battle wasn't such a great idea.

"Signal Beam," Brenna ordered calmly. She moved her arms out, Kirlia mimicking her. The Pokémon formed a small ball in her hands. And with a thrusting motion, energy blew out from the tiny ball. The energy pelted Phanpy one more time, sending him into a Rollout.

"Great! Keep up the Rollout!" Abby called. Phanpy continued his attack, slowing breaking through the Signal Beam. But once he was too close, Kirlia jumped over him. "Turn around!" Abby called. Mirth obeyed, twisting around his Rollout attack. This time, he finally slammed into Kirlia.

Kirlia is way too elegant for me. She's going to force me into overpowering her. Can I even do that? Abby wondered.

Verde grinned. "It is funny. You are the exact opposite of Spade. You have so many strategies in your head that it is incredible. Using a Vine Whip attack as a defensive method whenever you had Sam spin around was fantastic."

"But-" Abby tried.

"But, you're lacking what Spade has. Your Pokémon are under-trained. They have a great trainer, but like most coordinators, you try to be more flashy than anything. While that will easily get you through the first round, battle rounds will be hard without any training and toughening up," Verde told her in a stern voice.

"I guess it's time to test out how much stronger I've gotten!" Abby announced.

"Try dancing Thunderbolt!" Brenna ordered, her body contorting in odd ways. Kirlia spun in a circle, sparks flying from her body. The sparks zapped Mirth, not affecting the ground-type.

"Oh no…" Brenna mumbled.

"Rookie mistake!" Abby snapped. "Take Down, Mirth!" Mirth cried out and bounded forward. He checked his body into Kirlia's, tossing the Pokémon back.

"Ice Punch!" Brenna laughed. Kirlia was fast, storming down the field and giving Phanpy an uppercut.

"What incredible speed!" Abby gaped. She looked up, noticing that she only had a small percentage of her points left.

"My plan worked. Use a move like Thunderbolt to lower your guard. Then, when you attack, I hit you hard!" Brenna bragged.

"That was smart, but not very fair. You have to rely on trickery," Abby mumbled.

"It is all fair, so long as I win!" Brenna laughed. "Finish this with Ice Punch!" Kirlia nodded, throwing her body forward quickly.

Before she could get close enough to strike, Phanpy slammed her feet into the ground. The field started to shake, freezing Kirlia in her tracks.

"Awesome! That was Earthquake!" Abby cheered. She took note of the paralyzed Kirlia and grinned. "Time to finish this! Use Rollout!" Phanpy rolled forward as fast as he could, smashing his hard body into Kirlia. Kirlia was tossed back to Brenna's feet, unable to battle.

The buzzer went off, all judges seeing that Kirlia wasn't getting up anytime soon. Confetti began to fall.

"Congratulations, Abby!" the announcer sang. She pulled Abby to the middle of field. Abby picked up Mirth and held him in her arms. "You have officially won your fifth ribbon! Take care and remember that this ribbon, the Cherrygrove Ribbon, was your final key to unlock the Grande Festival!"

Fai nodded and walked forward. He held in his hands the ribbon. It had a flower as its pendant, red as though it was on fire.

Abby grabbed the ribbon and held it up high. "I did it! I won my fifth ribbon!"

"So, where are we off to next?" Abby asked Spade as they got ready to leave the Pokémon Center. It was the morning after Abby's contest, and she was ready to start preparing for the Grand Festival.

Spade opened his mouth to speak, but he was quickly interrupted by the Pokémon Center's radio.

"…Giovanni! Attention, Giovanni! This is Team Rocket Speaking! We have resurfaced; I repeat, we have resurfaced! Rejoin us so we may reign once more!"

"The Radio Tower…"

* * *

><p>AN And Abby has her last ribbon!

But it looks like things could take a turn for the duo. If you'd read Free and Heather's story, then you know what happens. Well, some of it...


	46. The Journey to the Radio Tower

"So, what's the plan?" Abby asked as the two moved through Violet City. They had stopped to sleep for only a few hours, but Spade was eager to keep moving forward. And to make everything worse, it was raining.

"If we don't get there soon, there won't be any time for a plan," Spade growled. "We need to get there fast."

"I'd suggest that you use Golbat to get you there, and I can catch up. But I don't think that Golbat would be strong enough to carry you."

Spade nodded. "I've thought about it too. Golbat couldn't handle me alone. And this rain would make things even worse. We'll just have to keep walking."

The two continued through Violet, taking the shortcut that Verde had shown them before. Abby stopped and grabbed a hold of Spade's shoulder.

"Are you sure that you want to go?" she asked.

Spade glared at her. "What do you mean?"

"You've been shaking the entire time that we've been walking here," Abby stated. "Are you sure that you really want to go? We can just let the authorities handle it."

"No… I need to do this," Spade said quietly. He started to walk again, Abby frozen at the feet. "We need to go."

Abby sighed and looked into the sky. She squinted her eyes, seeing scattered black race for them. Spade turned to yell at her one more time, but he was suddenly stopped by the flying, black Pokémon. He started flailing around, smacking the Pokémon. Once he pushed his way out of them, he noticed that they were creating a wall.

"What are those?" Spade asked.

"Murkrow… It looks like they don't want us to move forward. We're probably going into their territory," Abby stated.

"Well we need to keep going!" Spade snapped. He turned to the Pokémon and scanned them with the Pokédex.

"Murkrow, the Darkness Pokémon. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night."

"Good thing it is daytime!" Abby cried.

"Move out of my way!" Spade yelled, getting desperate to find and defeat Team Rocket.

"Murkrow!" they began to chant, as if telling Spade to turn back.

"Fine then! We'll play it your way!" Spade snapped. He drew out two Poké Balls. "C'mon out!" From his Poké Balls, Electabuzz and Shellder appeared.

The Murkrow laughed and flew forward, underestimating the two Pokémon that stood before them.

"Thunderbolt, and Ice Shard!" Spade's Pokémon obeyed, releasing their attacks into the air. The attacks pelted into the Murkrow, sending them back. Some broke through, and attacked the Pokémon along with Spade.

"Spade!" Abby cried out. She grabbed a hold of her Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. Mirth appeared, rolling right into a few into the Murkrow and knocking them down, like a set of bowling pins.

One of the Murkrow, angry at the ground-type, grabbed a hold of Mirth and lifted him into the air.

Abby, thinking quickly, returned Mirth. She tossed out another Poké Ball. Rin, her Absol, appeared.

"Razor Wind!" she ordered. Absol blew forward, energy forming at his horn. He swung his head around, energy emitting quickly. The energy sliced into a hoard of Murkrow, scaring them away.

"Thanks, Abby!" Spade yelled. He turned to a few of the Murkrow. "Thunderbolt!" Electabuzz stepped forward, releasing bolts from his body. The Murkrow were all zapped, some falling to the ground.

"Good job!" Abby called.

"Now, finish these guys off with Aurora Beam!" Spade ordered. Shellder opened up his shell, blowing a colored beam from his mouth. The beam glazed over the Murkrow, finishing the rest of them off.

Spade grinned and pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket. "It's time to catch myself one!" With that, he tossed his Poké Ball at one of the Murkrow. It absorbed the Pokémon, instantly capturing her.

Abby laughed as the other Murkrow, afraid to be captured or attack again, flew off. She turned to Spade and sighed. "Well, I guess this means that we should keep going."

Spade shook his head. "I agree. We need to get there faster." He returned Electabuzz and Shellder, but not before thanking them for their efforts.

"How about this," Abby started. "You go ahead with Murkrow and Golbat. I'll catch up. I'll try to find help."

"Are you sure?" Spade asked. He had already readied his Poké Balls. "I wouldn't want to leave without you."

Abby nodded.

"C'mon out, guys!" Spade called, tossing his Poké Balls into the air. Both Pokémon appeared, Murkrow looking slightly injured. Spade sighed before walking over to Murkrow and handing her a berry. "You're going to need to eat up. We have a journey ahead of us."

Murkrow nodded and ate the berry. Golbat fluttered around, communicating with the newly captured Pokémon. After regaining as much energy he could within the short amount of time, Spade gave his orders.

"I'm going to need to grab a hold of each of you as you fly," he said. "Are the both of you ready?" His Pokémon nodded and flew into the air.

"Good luck, Spade!" Abby called while she watched Spade fly into the distance. "Good luck…"

Continuing through the air, Spade noticed Goldenrod in the distance. He looked up into the air, noticing that the rain was starting to clear up.

"Murkrow, Murkrow!" Murkrow called out as he began to lose energy.

"Fly faster!" Spade ordered. He had to get to Giovanni as soon as possible. But he kept questioning himself. What would he do when he saw him?


	47. The Radio Tower Invasion

It wasn't long until Spade landed in Goldenrod. He immediately returned Murkrow and Golbat, wanting to give them a long, deserved rest.

He glanced around the usually lively city, noticing that all shops were closed, and no one was outside.

Moving forward, he pushed on the entrance door of Goldenrod, noticing that all entrances were closed. He looked around, finding two Team Rocket members standing next to a door.

"I guess that's where I have to go," he told himself. He grabbed his Poké Ball and tossed it at the two members. "Flareon, Fire Spin!" Flareon appeared and quickly emitted flames from his mouth. The flames knocked back the Team Rocket members, scaring them down a dark hallway.

"Let's go!" Spade barked while he took off down the hallway. He made his way down a flight of stairs, surprised as to what he saw at the bottom.

"You've picked the wrong people to burn," one of the Team Rocket members said, a whole group of people behind him.

"Crap…"

"I don't know what to do!" Abby cried out. She walked aimlessly around, trying to find where to go. She didn't want to go directly to Goldenrod. And the option to try to find Verde was up in the air. But it'd be too far to try to get a hold of him. Spade needed her help as soon as possible, so she needed to figure something out fast.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" a voice called. The voice was indistinctly familiar. Abby turned, and her face lit up.

A female Team Rocket member stepped forward, an angry look on her face. She looked twice the age of Spade, and her hair was short and spiked, which scared him a little bit. "Let's go, Marill!"

A small, blue Pokémon, ears round and large, appeared. "Marill!" she cried out happily.

"Marill, use Water Gun!" the girl ordered. Marill stepped forward, water flowing from her mouth.

"Dodge!" Spade called. Flareon obeyed, jumping into the air. "Fire Spin!" Flareon called out while flames bellowed from his mouth, engulfing Marill.

"Ribble, get out here and help me!" the woman screamed angrily. A boy, only a few years older than Spade, walked out from the group.

"You're not the boss, so don't act like it, Glas," he said. He slowly let his Poké Ball drop to the floor, a small green, quadruped Pokémon emerging.

"Electrike!" the Pokémon cried while small electric sparks emitted from his coat.

"What are you going to do? It's now two on one, and we have all the back-up that we need!" Glas snapped.

Spade grinned. "Bring it!"

"Use Bubblebeam!"

"Discharge!" Ribble ordered.

"Lava Plume!" Spade screamed.

The attacks clashed, blowing up into smoke. Spade took this opportunity, running forward with his Flareon. He ducked through the Team Rocket members, sneaking by quickly.

"We made it!" he shouted while running down the hallway. But he was quickly stopped. Looking down, he noticed vines surrounding his body. He turned his head, seeing the grass Pokémon who had a hold of him.

"Now, throw him, Bellsprout!" a Team Rocket member ordered. The Bellsprout started to move, forcing Spade into the air a few feet.

"Bite!" Spade called. Flareon nodded and jumped forward. He clamped his jaws down on the vines, making Bellsprout scream from pain.

Once again, Glas and Ribble pushed themselves through the crowd, holding their fainted Pokémon.

"We need to get serious!" Glas screeched.

Ribble glared at her. "You don't need to tell me…"

They quickly returned their Pokémon and tossed out two more Poké Balls. A Slugma appeared alongside a small, round, and green Pokémon.

"Use Flamethrower, Slugma!" Glas ordered. Slugma slithered forward, blasting flames from his gaping mouth.

"Protect!" Spade called. Flareon took a step in front of his trainer, an orb of energy appearing in front of him. The fire connected, but was rebounded into the walls of the underground.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball, instantly returning Flareon. And before the Rocket members could order another attack, he tossed out one more Poké Ball. Shellder appeared, readying to battle.

"Gulpin! Go forward, and use Sludge Bomb!" Ribble screamed. Gulpin bounced forward, knocking into Slugma lightly. He opened his mouth, and shot purple ooze from it.

"Razor Shell!" Spade ordered. Shellder straightened up, and her sides started to glow. She flung her body forward, easily ripping through Gulpin's attack. Continuing on, she knocked Gulpin back, causing the Pokémon to land on Slugma.

"Now, use Aurora Beam!" Spade commanded. Shellder stopped spinning and opened her shell. She released the multicolored beam, a small glaze of ice appearing over Team Rocket's Pokémon.

"Flamethrower!" Glas screamed. Slugma, his body burned off the ice, along with Gulpin. He then released a smooth stream of flames from his mouth. The fire blew over Shellder and Spade.

Spade took a look at his jacket, his arm set on fire. Without needing to think about it, he pulled off his jacket and threw it on the ground.

"Now I'm mad…" Spade muttered. He glared out at Glas and Ribble. "I'm going to finish this! Shellder, use Brine!" Shellder called out, blasting water from his mouth. The water connected with the Rocket Pokémon, knocking them back into their trainers. They were shot down the hallway, tumbling over each other.

Spade lifted his Poké Ball and returned Shellder. He glared at the soaking wet Team Rocket members. "I still have a lot more in me. If you follow me, I will destroy you." With that, he ran down the hallway, disappearing into the darkness.

The Team Rocket members all exchanged looks. Glas stood back up and pulled out her walkie-talkie. "Warning Team Rocket. We have an intruder!"

Spade escaped the underground tunnel, moving into the light of Goldenrod City. He glanced around, noticing that the inside of the city was just as absent as the outside was. There was no one around as Spade continued around the corners of houses. He noticed the black radio tower.

"That's where they are…" he mumbled. He started to run for the radio tower, sneaking into the front door. He glanced around, finding that two Team Rocket members were walking towards him. He quickly moved, taking a place behind the door.

"Yeah, I guess that there have been some people spotted trying to break into Goldenrod. We're supposed to guard this door," one of the Team Rocket members said. They closed the door, and Spade sighed.

"I need to be more careful…" He took a look around the first floor, noticing how abandoned it looked. He ran through it, avoiding all of the broken objects. The stairs to the next floor was filled with scattered papers.

The second floor was the same, only it appeared to still be intact. Once he reached the second set of stairs, he could hear voices up top.

"This is it…" he said while pulling out his Poké Ball. "Let's go…" With that, he ran up the stairs, coming face to face with a hoard of Team Rocket members.

"Who are you?" one of the Team Rocket operatives asked. She took a closer look at Spade and smiled. "Oh… You're the boss's younger brother."

"Spade…" one of the Rocket members mumbled.

Without skipping a beat, Spade tossed his Poké Ball into the air. Infernape appeared, growling at the Rocket operatives.

"Golem!" one of the members called as his Poké Ball escaped into the air. A giant, boulder Pokémon appeared.

Normally, Spade would have pulled out his Pokédex, but instead he decided to waste no time.

"Mach Punch!" he ordered.

Infernape, as if reading Spade's mind, lunged forward quickly. He smashed his fist into Golem, tossing the giant rock Pokémon into the wall behind the group. The rock-type grunted as he pulled himself out of the wall.

"Rollout!" the Rocket member screamed.

Golem blasted forward, heading on a straight path for Infernape.

"Flare Blitz!"

Infernape lunged forward, his body glowing a slight blue hue. He rammed his body into Golem, knocking the Pokémon off course.

"Murkrow, go!" another Rocket member cried out. "Aerial Ace!"

Before Spade could respond, Infernape was smashed into. He flew down the stairs, tumbling and falling onto each step.

"Infernape!" Spade cried while chasing after his Pokémon. Once he caught up to his Pokémon, he turned to meet eyes with someone he had hoped not to see for awhile.

"Spade…" Free said, his group of friends standing behind him.


	48. The Team Rocket Battle

"Don't have time to talk," Spade grunted, helping his Pokémon up and turning towards the stairs. Before he took the first step he turned back, his face scrunched as if he was in pain. "I'm going to need… help."

"We may have our differences, but we have one of the same goals," Heather nodded, understanding how hard it was for Spade to ask for help. She walked towards him and held out her hand. Spade shook it and his face relaxed into an almost smile.

"Come on, up the stairs, no time to lose," Deka glared at Spade and ushered the other four trainers and their Pokémon up the stairs.

"Wow, this must have been some fall for your Pokémon," Clover said, looking up at the endless stairs towards a light at the end. "Hey, your Monferno evolved!"

"Yeah," was Spade's only reply. He didn't know what else to say to the blonde girl.

"Hey! He's coming back up," a girl's voice shouted from the doorway at the end of the stairs.

"Infernape, Flamethrower!" Spade growled. Infernape opened his mouth wide and flames burst forth, shooting up the hallway. Screams were heard and the trainers raced up the stairs.

"Hey, are you crazy?" Free hit Spade's arm. "You can't just use flamethrower inside a building− you could burn down the place!"

"Better that than have Team Rocket in control," Spade replied.

"Where now? Heather asked when they reached the next room.

"Up," Spade replied. He looked quickly around the room, and seeing no Team Rocket members, he raced for the stairs. "The ones up here must have fled when I used flamethrower."

"Still lucky you didn't burn down the place…" Free muttered.

"No fighting right now!" Clover cried, hitting the two boys. Spade and Free glared at her, but they all continued up the stairs. Nobody was on that floor, so they headed to the next.

"From here on, we have to use the elevator," Spade said as they reached the fourth floor. The trainers stop when they saw a group of fifty or so Team Rocket members crowded around the elevator doors with the Radio Tower faculty tied up and knocked out beside them.

"Hey, who let you five in?" A familiar Rocket member, Jada, asked. "Wait, I know you. You're those little brats that are always showing up when we're trying to get things accomplished."

"Not doing much accomplishing with us around, eh?" Deka smirked. Heather hit him in the back of the head.

"We're gonna get in some deep trouble if you talk like that," Heather whispered.

"Are you sure he'll come back?" Spade asked, stepping forward. Infernape stood calmly by his side.

"What?" Jada hissed.

"Giovanni," Spade shrugged. "Have you guys called him?"

Jada smiled and turned up a radio that was on an office desk.

"Giovanni. These are your loyal Team Rocket members speaking. We have resurfaced and reunited in your honor! Come out of hiding and join us so we can regain our rightful place," a man's voice rang through the radio's static sound. The surrounding members chuckled and gave each other high fives.

"This is sick," Spade muttered, glaring at them.

"Since you're young, we'll let you go," Jada said. "So scram before we take action."

"There are too many of them…" Clover cried quietly. Suddenly, the elevator let out a 'ding' and the doors slid open. The Team Rocket members parted and a man with short black hair and a black business suit stepped out. The members started to whisper.

"He's back…"

"It's really him."

"Giovanni!"

"Lookin' good, boss."

Giovanni stopped abruptly when his eyes landed on Spade.

"S-Spade?" His eyes narrowed and his mouth hung open.

"Hello, brother."

"No way he's your brother! He's a whole lot older and balder than you!" Deka shouted, breaking the silence that followed Spade and Giovanni's meeting.

"Deka…" Free cautioned his friend before he said anything worse. Deka glared back at him, but quickly turned back around towards Team Rocket.

"What are you doing here?" Giovanni finally spoke.

"We were just leaving," Spade sneered.

Two Rocket member made their way towards Spade, blocking the groups way down the stairs.

"I don't think you are!" Jade laughed. "Let's get 'em!"

"I thought they were going to let us go?" Deka asked. He hid Clover behind him. "What happened to that?!"

Jade grinned. "Well, since we found Giovanni, we have to impress him. And there is no better way to do that then beating you!"

"Chikorita…" Free mumbled. His Pokémon stepped forward, prepared to battle.

Two Raticate appeared behind the group, causing Deka to grab a hold of his Poké Ball. Clover followed suit.

The two Raticate lunged forward before Deka and Clover could choose their Pokémon. But before the Raticate could do any damage, Infernape unleashed flames upon them. They dropped to the ground, burnt and unconscious.

Giovanni smiled. "Infernape is strong…"

A Sandslash and Parasect appeared in front of the group. Two Team Rocket members stared nervously at the group and back at Giovanni.

Free smiled at Spade. "We got this one!"

"Totodile, use Hydro Pump!" Heather said as she tossed her Poké Ball into the air. Totodile burst out of his Poké Ball and blew water out of his mouth. The water drenched over Team Rocket's Pokémon, weakening them.

"Finish it with Razor Leaf!" Free ordered.

Chikorita cried out while jumping onto Totodile's shoulder. She swung her head, releasing leaves into the air. The leaves sliced into Team Rocket's Pokémon. The Pokémon fell over, unable to continue.

"Pathetic…" Spade grumbled.

Clover smiled at Deka. "He's grumpier than you are, Deka!"

Jada stepped forward. "I won't let you down, Giovanni!" She released a Kadabra from her Poké Ball, the Pokémon glaring at Totodile.

Spade laughed. "It doesn't stand a chance against Totodile…"

"Confuse ray!" Jada ordered, but Heather was quick.

"Ice fang!"

Totodile lunged forward on all fours. He quickly grabbed a hold of Kadabra with his jaws, freezing the physic Pokémon over.

"What?!" Jade screeched as she watched her Pokémon fall. She glanced over at Giovanni, his smug smile scaring her.

Two more Team Rocket members stepped forward, holding out Poké Balls.

"Enough!" Giovanni snapped. "Clearly none of you have been trained enough. My absence has made you weak."

The grunts lowered their Poké Balls, looks of disappointment appeared on their face.

Giovanni moved through the parting crowd, coming face to face with the group. Spade shifted back, looking ready to lunge forward.

"We will leave, as you have proven too strong for most my forces," Giovanni stated calmly. He stepped back, examining the look of disbelief on the trainers' faces. "But don't get me wrong, this won't be the last time that you see us. Next time, we will be stronger."

"Wait!" Spade screamed. But it was too late. A Team Rocket member threw a smoke bomb on the ground, filling the room with a black smoke. When it cleared, all of Team Rocket were gone. A few of the Radio Tower workers lay unconscious on the floor.

"We won!" Deka said proudly.

"No, we didn't win!" Spade snapped. "I'm leaving!"

Sure enough, Spade and his Infernape turned to leave. The group followed, returning their Pokémon to their balls, Free picking up Chikorita, and followed him down the stairs and out of the building. The guards were still sleeping peacefully at the entrance to the Radio Tower, so the trainers kept running in case they woke soon and wanted revenge. Koffing, who had waited outside the Radio Tower, followed the trainers.

"I can't believe I was too late," Spade sobbed tearlessly as they reached a Pokémon Center. "I-I couldn't stop them."

"Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, is your brother?" Free asked.

"Yes. And what they do is wrong!" Spade pounded a fist against the Pokémon Center wall. "What Giovanni does is wrong…"

"So you were trying to stop them, right?" Deka asked stupidly, as if Spade's display of emotion was nothing.

"Yeah," Spade sighed. He ran a hand haphazardly through his red hair before slamming it into the wall once more in anger. "I should have stopped them earlier!"

"It's not your fault, Spade. There was a bad storm that prevented you from moving faster, and there were too many to stop," Free tried to reassure him.

"What do you think they'll do now?" Heather asked.

"Lay low. That's my brother's style," Spade said, hate in his voice. "At least for awhile they will."

"So they're really back together…" Heather mumbled, looking heartbroken.

That really stuck with Spade. He looked up into the sky, watching as the dark clouds moved quickly out of the city.

He failed. He wasn't strong enough to keep Team Rocket from getting back together. The question that kept repeating itself in Spade's mind beckoned. Was he not strong enough? Was all of the effort that he put in a waste of time?

In Spade's mind, the answer was yes. Team Rocket was really back together.

"So you'll stay with us?" Spade heard Free ask his friends. He glared at them.

"Yeah, of course we will," Deka stuck out his hand. Free shook it, smiling. "We're too good of friends to split up."

Spade laughed dryly, "Friends? Who needs friends?"

"We'll be your friends," Heather said to him, slowly and quietly.

"We'll never be friends if we can't have a proper match," Spade growled, glaring into the girl's golden-brown eyes. "I'm leaving."

And like Spade said, he left. The trainers didn't follow him, they only watched.

* * *

><p>AN Sorry that I haven't posted in awhile. It's been kind of a crappy last couple of weeks.


	49. The Rematch to See

**Chapter 49**

Spade skated on his board out of Goldenrod City, his hair pulled down in front of his face like he used to have it. He held onto Infernape's Poké Ball, rethinking everything that he had done, from the moment that he stole Chimchar to when he saw Giovanni's smug face once again.

"Spade!" Abby called as she saw him skating forward. She ran out, giving him a hug. He didn't hug back, looking away from her.

"You're too late," he whispered. "But it wouldn't have made a difference. We all were…"

"Oh…" Abby mumbled. "I'm sorry…"

He pulled away and continued to avoid her gaze. His eyes met with someone else though. Standing behind Abby, stood the person that truly defeated Spade for the first time.

"Eoin…" he said.

The teenager nodded. His girlfriend, Grace, standing at his side. "We were on our way back to Goldenrod when we ran into Abby. She told us about what was happening. Are you okay?"

Spade nodded slowly. "I made it out fine…"

Abby examined him. Seeing him without his jacket was weird for her. She noticed the burn marks. "You don't look fine…"

"I'll be okay."

"Team Rocket has returned?" Eoin asked. "You witnessed everything?"

Spade nodded. He didn't want to speak, as it could cause him to get emotional.

"We will have to keep an eye out for them then. This probably means that they're going to reform slowly."

"What should we do?" Abby asked Spade.

He sighed. "For the time being, there is nothing that we can do. The authorities will have to take care of it. They have the Radio Tower being investigated. I have to keep my ears open."

Abby shot Spade a confused look. "We're not going to chase after them?"

Spade shook his head. "There's no point in doing that. Giovanni is too strong for me, and I know that he's not ready to battle me. He doesn't want to battle me yet. He wants to prepare."

Eoin ran his hand through his black hair. "You sure are confusing, Spade. I'll definitely keep an eye out for everything. Where are you two going next?"

"We have quite a few months until the Silver Conference or the Grand Festival. Spade wants to challenge all of the gyms," Abby answered to the best of her abilities. "So, we have to find his next gym!"

Eoin smiled. "I can definitely see that you're stronger now. Both of you should be proud. Have you challenged the Blackthorn Gym?"

Spade shook his head. "No… It'll be quite the walk…"

Grace looked at Eoin and grinned. "How about this… We give you a ride there in our limo. I would like to visit Blackthorn as it is!"

Abby's eyes lit up, and Spade spat at the ground. "Let's do it, Spade! We'll get there way faster!"

Spade didn't answer. He only nodded.

The ride to Blackthorn only took a few hours. Abby had time to use materials that she had gathered over the course of her journey to sew Spade a new jacket. It was similar to his old one, but had a golden fiery design on the side.

They stopped the limousine in front of the Blackthorn's Pokémon Center. The trainers stepped out as the driver parked in the back.

Eoin smiled at Spade, noticing that he still looked upset. "So, Spade… Have you gotten any better?"

Spade glared at him. "Of course I'm better. I know that if we battled now, I could easily beat your legendary Pokémon."

Eoin pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket. "Then how about this, if you and Abby can beat me in a double battle, I won't charge you for the limo ride?"

"What? You are going to charge us?" Abby asked. "I wish I would have known that!"

"I won't charge you if you can beat me!"

"Fine…" Spade snapped, glaring at Eoin. He was ready to battle and beat the rich boy. It was quite awhile since their last match.

"This battle will be a full 6-on-6 double battle between Spade, Abby and Eoin. The winner will be declared when one side's Pokémon are unable to battle!" Grace announced.

"I'll choose first! Go, Starmie and Vibrava!" Eoin said as he tossed his Poké Balls into the air.

Spade recognized the Starmie, but he had never seen a Vibrava before. He pulled out his Pokédex to scan the Pokémon.

"It vibrates its wings vigorously, creating ultrasonic waves that cause serious headaches," the Pokédex announced. Spade frowned as he stared at the Pokédex, then back at the Vibrava in front of him.

"The Vibrava in the picture is yellow and green. Eoin's Vibrava is yellow and red," Spade stated. "A shiny Pokémon…"

"You got that right. I got this little jewel awhile back."

"I have an idea," Abby stated. She looked at Spade. "I need you to trust me."

Spade nodded.

"Let's go, Mirth!" Abby yelled. She threw her Poké Ball up, and Mirth, her Phanpy, emerged from his Poké Ball.

"Then I'll use Murkrow!" Spade announced. His Pokémon flew from his ball and into the air.

Eoin laughed. "Really? It's been so long, and you're still using such low level Pokémon. How do you expect to beat me?"

"We have a plan!" Spade snapped. He looked over at Abby, not having a clue what she was planning.

"Starmie, use Hydro Pump!" Eoin ordered. "Vibrava, Dragon Pulse!"

"Murkrow, take to the skies!"

"Mirth, use Protect!"

A green barrier emerged in front of Phanpy as Murkrow flew higher into the air. The attacks either missed or bounced right off of Mirth's shield.

Eoin laughed. "Alright, then let's use Blizzard!"

Starmie started to spin, an icy wind blowing from its body. The wind took over Spade and Abby's team, making them shiver from the cold.

"Now, that they're slowed, use Hyper Beam!"

Vibrava jumped forward and blasted a bright colored beam from his mouth. The beam connected with Mirth, sending him into the air.

"Catch him!" Spade ordered.

Murkrow, strong from flying Spade around, grabbed a hold of the Phanpy.

"Bring him back down!" Eoin yelled. "Use Psychic!"

Starmie moved its limbs around, sending out energy from her body. The energy simply bounced off of Murkrow, causing the flying-type to laugh.

"Because Phanpy is so close to Murkrow, a psychic-type attack won't work!" Spade laughed like his Pokémon.

"Use Rollout!" Abby called.

Murkrow flew higher then let go of Phanpy. The small Pokémon rolled into a ball and skyrocketed back straight for Vibrava.

"Get in front of her and use Cosmic Power!" Eoin commanded.

Starmie was fast to get in front of the temporarily paralyzed Vibrava. It started to shine brightly, and Mirth bounced off of its body easily.

"Now, Dragon Tail!"

Vibrava zigzagged around Starmie and slammed his glowing tail into Mirth. After being blasted back, Mirth was suddenly absorbed back into his Poké Ball. Rin, Abby's Absol, emerged from the Poké Ball, ready to battle.

"What just happened?" Spade asked.

"Dragon Tail has a great effect. Whenever I attack a Pokémon with it, the Pokémon is sent back to its trainer," Eoin explained.

"Now it looks like that Absol can actually give me a challenge!" Eoin laughed.

"Razor Wind!" Abby ordered.

Absol dashed forward, energy forming at his horn. He jumped into the air, letting loose all of the energy with a swing of his neck. Vibrava and Starmie easily avoided it, going to the sky.

"Aerial Ace!" Spade called.

Murkrow flew forward, jabbing his beak into Vibrava's body.

"Hydro Pump!"

Starmie flew in front of Murkrow, blasting a heavy stream of water from one of the ends of its body. The water slammed into Murkrow, knocking him back. Murkrow slammed into the ground.

Abby, ignoring Murkrow's fate, made her next move. "Use Night Slash on Starmie!"

Absol jumped into the air, slashing at the unsuspecting Starmie. The purple Pokémon flew back to the ground, smashing hard.

Spade and Eoin each took turns returning their Pokémon. Spade thought carefully before making his next move.

"Let's go, Granbull!"

"Sigilyph, you're up!"

"The guardians of an ancient city, they always fly the same route while keeping watch for invaders," the Pokédex announced.

"This won't be easy if that is the case," Spade mumbled.

"If I made this easy, then it would be no fun!" Eoin laughed.

"Rin, let's use Razor Wind!" Abby ordered.

"Follow him with a Headbutt!" Spade called.

As Absol started to charge his attack, Granbull leapt forward. He darted across their battlefield, ready to crash his head into either of his opponents.

"Dragon Pulse to the ground!" Eoin commanded.

Vibrava jumped, blasting a wave of purple energy from her mouth. The energy crashed into the ground in front of Granbull, halting his attack and causing dust to fill the air.

Absol then released his attack. The energy flew through the dust and continued on a path for the different colored Vibrava.

"Air Slash!"

Sigilyph, fast and nimble, darted through the air. He released energy, it colliding with Absol's attack, both attacks destroying each other on contact.

"Vibrava, let's get in a hit with Draco Meteor!"

Vibrava fell back to the ground. She lifted her head, an energy charging in her body. She let loose an orb into the sky. The orb, once high enough, blew up and debris fell. A few of the pieces struck into Absol and Granbull, sending them back.

Absol, shaking, stood back up slowly. Granbull stood up and snarled at Vibrava.

"Let's use that anger," Spade thought aloud. "Granbull, use Thunder Fang!"

Granbull bounded forward on all fours. He latched his jaws onto Vibrava before Eoin could make a command, the ground-type struggling in his jaws.

"But an electric-type move like that won't work on Vibrava!" Eoin said.

"That may be true, but while you're blinded by won't work, I'm focusing on what will!" Spade replied. "Vibrava is now trapped in Granbull's jaw!"

"What?" Eoin screamed as he had realized what Spade did.

"Toss her then us Payback!" Spade ordered.

Granbull lifted Vibrava into the air, and then tossed her to the ground. Gathering a dark energy in his hands, he flung it at Vibrava. The dragon-type Pokémon was thrown back, landing in a heap at Eoin's feet. Eoin returned her to his Poké Ball, and then tossed up his next.

"Three Magnemite are linked by a strong magnetic force. Earaches will occur if you get too close."

"SonicBoom!" Eoin called.

Sound waves blew from Magneton's body, colliding with Granbull. The fairy-type hit the ground hard, but was able to stagger his way back to standing.

"Use Shadow Ball!" Eoin ordered.

"Take the hit!" Spade ordered.

Granbull moved in front of Absol, hoping to defend him from the hit. But the ball of energy went right through him. It smashed into the worn out Absol, knocking him out.

"How can you defend a ghost-type attack using a normal-typed Pokémon?" Eoin asked. "That is just ridiculous!"

"Let's go, Mirth!" Abby called after she had returned Rin back to his Poké Ball. "We have to get ahead!"

"That's going to be very hard to do," Spade said. "Granbull and Mirth are already exhausted, and he still has two more Pokémon after this."

Abby looked at Spade, remembering the legendary Pokémon that Eoin had in his arsenal.

"Magneton, use Thunderbolt on Granbull!" Eoin ordered.

"Defend him Phanpy!" Abby called.

Phanpy, as quick as he could be, rolled in the way of the strong electric-type attack. The attack bounced off of him, not doing any noticeable damage.

"Use Mirror Shot!"

Magneton flew forward, blasting a silver energy from its body. It struck Granbull, but did little damage.

"Now use Tri-Attack!"

Magenton, changing its flight pattern, formed triangular energy in from of it. The energy was different colored: blue, yellow, and red. With a lunge, the energy flew from Magneton's body.

"Focus Blast!" Spade yelled.

Granbull formed energy into a ball and flung it back at the Tri-Attack. Both attacks were destroyed, leaving smoke to fill the air.

"I want to finish this!" Eoin announced. "Sigilyph, use Sky Attack! Magneton, use Tri-Attack full power!"

"Rollout!"

"Focus Blast!"

All of the Pokémon let loose, smashing their respective attacks into the middle of the field. Phanpy collided with Sigilyph, while Magneton's and Granbull's attack fought with each other. After a long struggle, the special attacks exploded. The force from the explosion sent all of the Pokémon flying away from each other. When the smoke cleared, none of them were able to continue.

Spade returned Granbull. "You did a great job, buddy. Keep it up."

Abby did the same and looked over at Spade. They knew what was coming next.

"Let's see how much better you've really gotten. I'll be using Latios and Latias!"

The two familiar Pokémon emerged and smiled at Spade and Abby.

"Are you ready?" Abby asked.

Spade nodded and gripped his next Poké Ball. "I've been ready…"

Suddenly, Infernape and Sam, the Ivysaur, emerged. They glared at the two legendary Pokémon, ready to battle.

"Eon duo, use a double Dragon Pulse!" Eoin ordered.

His two Pokémon flew forward, energy blasting from their mouths.

"Get around it and use Mach Punch!" Spade ordered.

Infernape, nimble as could be, dodged around the blasts, holding onto Ivysaur. He put back down the grass-type before lunging forward. His fist smashed into Latios', causing the Pokémon to fall backwards.

"Ice Beam!" Eoin called.

Spade glanced over at Ivysaur, but was surprised when he wasn't hit. Instead, Infernape flew back. His hands were encased in ice.

"And now use Shadow Claw on Ivysaur!"

Latios regained composure and flew forward. He slashed out at Ivysaur, knocking the Pokémon back.

"Vine Whip!" Abby ordered.

Sam reached out and grabbed a hold of Latios, holding him down.

"Poison Powder!" Abby continued.

Ivysaur released purple powder into the air. The purple powder fell upon Latios, making the Pokémon cringe from pain.

"No!" Eoin screamed.

"Now, use Razor Leaf!"

Ivysaur let loose all of his leaves, slicing into Latios. The Pokémon fell back, hitting the ground hard.

"Use Mist Ball!" Eoin ordered Latias.

The female Eon Pokémon flew into the battle. She opened her mouth and blasted a grey colored ball. The ball smashed into Infernape, exploding on contact. The field was shrouded in mist, making most of the Pokémon blind to what was happening.

"You may fear the mist, but my Pokémon can see through it," Eoin stated. "Latios, use Luster Purge!"

"Use Flamethrower!" Spade ordered, looking out for the attack.

A purple energy zoomed through the mist, colliding with Infernape's attack. Luster Purge broke through, colliding with Infernape after a long battle. Infernape fell to the ground and struggled to get back up. Sam walked over to him, helping him up with his clean vines. The two looked around, still not able to find the Eon Pokémon.

"Ice Beam!"

The two Pokémon listened, finding that the attack was coming close.

"ThunderPunch!"

Infernape quickly got in front of Ivysaur and punched at the beam. The electricity from his punch continued down it, shocking Latias in the process.

"I can see Latias shining!" Abby stated. "Vine Whip!"

Ivysaur got in front of Infernape, sending out his vines. The vines grabbed a hold of Latias, pulling her towards him. The powder that he had used to poison Latios had also rubbed up against Latias. Both Pokémon were now poisoned.

"The mist isn't working, so I'll try something else," Eoin said. "Latias, use Sunny Day!"

"What is he doing?" Spade wondered.

"Solar Beam!"

Latios zoomed forward and released a green beam of energy from his mouth.

"It doesn't need to charge!" Abby yelled. "Sam, Solar Beam!"

Sam responded by releasing a beam from the plant on his back. The attacks collided, destroying each other on contact.

"Dragon Pulse!" Eoin said.

Both of his Pokémon grouped together and released their attacks, forming one giant Dragon Pulse attack.

"Flare Blitz!" Spade ordered. The attack had previously been rough for Infernape, but he had faith in his Pokémon.

Infernape took in energy and dove at the Dragon Pulse. He destroyed it, continuing and smashing into both of Eoin's Pokémon. When the smoke cleared from the attacks, all three of the Pokémon were unconscious.

"Because Abby's Ivysaur is still able to battle, Abby and Spade win!" Grace declared.

Eoin sighed and returned both of his Pokémon. "I guess that means you don't have to pay me."

"Awesome! We did great, Spade!" Abby said. Spade smiled as he walked up to Infernape.

"You did awesome, buddy," Spade told his Pokémon. Infernape gave him thumbs up before he was returned to his Poké Ball.

"You two are a lot better than you were many months ago," Eoin said. "Good luck in the Silver Conference, Spade. And Abby, I know you'll do well in the Grand Festival."

Abby smiled at Spade. "We'll definitely do our best."

* * *

><p><strong>AN So, I've decided to not continue this story. In Kanto. I will instead put all of my effort into Hazel and Azul as soon as this story is finished. I feel like this story is good for what it is, and that's Johto.**


End file.
